In the Senate of the United States, 

July 18, 2012. 

Resolved, That the bill from the House of Representatives (H.R. 1627) entitled ‘‘An Act to amend title 38, United 

States Code, to provide for certain requirements for the 

placement of monuments in Arlington National Cemetery, 

and for other purposes.’’, do pass with the following 

AMENDMENTS: 

Strike all after the enacting clause and insert the 

following: 

1 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS. 

2 (a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the 

3 ‘‘Honoring America’s Veterans and Caring for Camp 

4 Lejeune Families Act of 2012’’. 

5 (b) TABLE OF CONTENTS.—The table of contents for 

6 this Act is as follows: 

Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents. 

Sec. 2. References to title 38, United States Code. 

Sec. 3. Scoring of budgetary effects. 

TITLE I—HEALTH CARE MATTERS 

Sec. 101. Short title. 
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Sec. 102. Hospital care and medical services for veterans stationed at Camp 

Lejeune, North Carolina. 

Sec. 103. Authority to waive collection of copayments for telehealth and telemedicine visits of veterans. 

Sec. 104. Temporary expansion of payments and allowances for beneficiary travel 

in connection with veterans receiving care from Vet Centers. 

Sec. 105. Contracts and agreements for nursing home care. 

Sec. 106. Comprehensive policy on reporting and tracking sexual assault incidents and other safety incidents. 

Sec. 107. Rehabilitative services for veterans with traumatic brain injury. 

Sec. 108. Teleconsultation and telemedicine. 

Sec. 109. Use of service dogs on property of the Department of Veterans Affairs. 

Sec. 110. Recognition of rural health resource centers in Office of Rural Health. 

Sec. 111. Improvements for recovery and collection of amounts for Department of 

Veterans Affairs Medical Care Collections Fund. 

Sec. 112. Extension of authority for copayments. 

Sec. 113. Extension of authority for recovery of cost of certain care and services. 

TITLE II—HOUSING MATTERS 

Sec. 201. Short title. 

Sec. 202. Temporary expansion of eligibility for specially adapted housing assistance for certain veterans with disabilities causing difficulty with 

ambulating. 

Sec. 203. Expansion of eligibility for specially adapted housing assistance for veterans with vision impairment. 

Sec. 204. Revised limitations on assistance furnished for acquisition and adaptation of housing for disabled veterans. 

Sec. 205. Improvements to assistance for disabled veterans residing in housing 

owned by a family member. 

Sec. 206. Department of Veterans Affairs housing loan guarantees for surviving 

spouses of certain totally disabled veterans. 

Sec. 207. Occupancy of property by dependent child of veteran for purposes of 

meeting occupancy requirement for Department of Veterans Affairs housing loans. 

Sec. 208. Making permanent project for guaranteeing of adjustable rate mortgages. 

Sec. 209. Making permanent project for insuring hybrid adjustable rate mortgages. 

Sec. 210. Waiver of loan fee for individuals with disability ratings issued during 

pre-discharge programs. 

Sec. 211. Modification of authorities for enhanced-use leases of real property. 

TITLE III—HOMELESS MATTERS 

Sec. 301. Enhancement of comprehensive service programs. 

Sec. 302. Modification of authority for provision of treatment and rehabilitation 

to certain veterans to include provision of treatment and rehabilitation to homeless veterans who are not seriously mentally 

ill. 

Sec. 303. Modification of grant program for homeless veterans with special needs. 

Sec. 304. Collaboration in provision of case management services to homeless veterans in supported housing program. 

Sec. 305. Extensions of previously fully funded authorities affecting homeless veterans. 
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TITLE IV—EDUCATION MATTERS 

Sec. 401. Aggregate amount of educational assistance available to individuals 

who receive both survivors’ and dependents’ educational assistance and other veterans and related educational assistance. 

Sec. 402. Annual reports on Post-9/11 Educational Assistance Program and Survivors’ and Dependents’ Educational Assistance Program. 

TITLE V—BENEFITS MATTERS 

Sec. 501. Automatic waiver of agency of original jurisdiction review of new evidence. 

Sec. 502. Authority for certain persons to sign claims filed with Secretary of Veterans Affairs on behalf of claimants. 

Sec. 503. Improvement of process for filing jointly for social security and dependency and indemnity compensation. 

Sec. 504. Authorization of use of electronic communication to provide notice to 

claimants for benefits under laws administered by the Secretary 

of Veterans Affairs. 

Sec. 505. Duty to assist claimants in obtaining private records. 

Sec. 506. Authority for retroactive effective date for awards of disability compensation in connection with applications that are fully-developed at submittal. 

Sec. 507. Modification of month of death benefit for surviving spouses of veterans 

who die while entitled to compensation or pension. 

Sec. 508. Increase in rate of pension for disabled veterans married to one another 

and both of whom require regular aid and attendance. 

Sec. 509. Exclusion of certain reimbursements of expenses from determination of 

annual income with respect to pensions for veterans and surviving spouses and children of veterans. 

TITLE VI—MEMORIAL, BURIAL, AND CEMETERY MATTERS 

Sec. 601. Prohibition on disruptions of funerals of members or former members 

of the Armed Forces. 

Sec. 602. Codification of prohibition against reservation of gravesites at Arlington National Cemetery. 

Sec. 603. Expansion of eligibility for presidential memorial certificates to persons 

who died in the active military, naval, or air service. 

Sec. 604. Requirements for the placement of monuments in Arlington National 

Cemetery. 

TITLE VII—OTHER MATTERS 

Sec. 701. Assistance to veterans affected by natural disasters. 

Sec. 702. Extension of certain expiring provisions of law. 

Sec. 703. Requirement for plan for regular assessment of employees of Veterans 

Benefits Administration who handle processing of claims for 

compensation and pension. 

Sec. 704. Modification of provision relating to reimbursement rate for ambulance 

services. 

Sec. 705. Change in collection and verification of veteran income. 

Sec. 706. Department of Veterans Affairs enforcement penalties for misrepresentation of a business concern as a small business concern owned 

and controlled by veterans or as a small business concern owned 

and controlled by service-disabled veterans. 
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Sec. 707. Quarterly reports to Congress on conferences sponsored by the Department. 

Sec. 708. Publication of data on employment of certain veterans by Federal contractors. 

Sec. 709. VetStar Award Program. 

Sec. 710. Extended period of protections for members of uniformed services relating to mortgages, mortgage foreclosure, and eviction. 

1 SEC. 2. REFERENCES TO TITLE 38, UNITED STATES CODE. 

2 Except as otherwise expressly provided, whenever in 

3 this Act an amendment or repeal is expressed in terms of 

4 an amendment to, or repeal of, a section or other provision, 

5 the reference shall be considered to be made to a section or 

6 other provision of title 38, United States Code. 

7 SEC. 3. SCORING OF BUDGETARY EFFECTS. 

8 The budgetary effects of this Act, for the purpose of 

9 complying with the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go-Act of 2010, 

10 shall be determined by reference to the latest statement titled 

11 ‘‘Budgetary Effects of PAYGO Legislation’’ for this Act, 

12 submitted for printing in the Congressional Record by the 

13 Chairman of the Senate Budget Committee, provided that 

14 such statement has been submitted prior to the vote on pas15 sage. 

16 TITLE I—HEALTH CARE 

17 MATTERS 

18 SEC. 101. SHORT TITLE. 

19 This title may be cited as the ‘‘Janey Ensminger Act’’. 
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1 SEC. 102. HOSPITAL CARE AND MEDICAL SERVICES FOR 

2 VETERANS STATIONED AT CAMP LEJEUNE, 

3 NORTH CAROLINA. 

4 (a) HOSPITAL CARE AND MEDICAL SERVICES FOR

5 VETERANS.— 

6 (1) IN GENERAL.—Paragraph (1) of section 

7 1710(e) is amended by adding at the end the fol8 lowing new subparagraph: 

9 ‘‘(F) Subject to paragraph (2), a veteran who served 

10 on active duty in the Armed Forces at Camp Lejeune, North 

11 Carolina, for not fewer than 30 days during the period be12 ginning on January 1, 1957, and ending on December 31, 

13 1987, is eligible for hospital care and medical services under 

14 subsection (a)(2)(F) for any of the following illnesses or con15 ditions, notwithstanding that there is insufficient medical 

16 evidence to conclude that such illnesses or conditions are 

17 attributable to such service: 

18 ‘‘(i) Esophageal cancer. 

19 ‘‘(ii) Lung cancer. 

20 ‘‘(iii) Breast cancer. 

21 ‘‘(iv) Bladder cancer. 

22 ‘‘(v) Kidney cancer. 

23 ‘‘(vi) Leukemia. 

24 ‘‘(vii) Multiple myeloma. 

25 ‘‘(viii) Myleodysplasic syndromes. 

26 ‘‘(ix) Renal toxicity. 
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1 ‘‘(x) Hepatic steatosis. 

2 ‘‘(xi) Female infertility. 

3 ‘‘(xii) Miscarriage. 

4 ‘‘(xiii) Scleroderma. 

5 ‘‘(xiv) Neurobehavioral effects. 

6 ‘‘(xv) Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.’’. 

7 (2) LIMITATION.—Paragraph (2)(B) of such sec8 tion is amended by striking ‘‘or (E)’’ and inserting 

9 ‘‘(E), or (F)’’. 

10 (b) FAMILY MEMBERS.— 

11 (1) IN GENERAL.—Subchapter VIII of chapter 17 

12 is amended by adding at the end the following new 

13 section: 

14 ‘‘§ 1787. Health care of family members of veterans 

15 stationed at Camp Lejeune, North Caro16 lina 

17 ‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—Subject to subsection (b), a family 

18 member of a veteran described in subparagraph (F) of sec19 tion 1710(e)(1) of this title who resided at Camp Lejeune, 

20 North Carolina, for not fewer than 30 days during the pe21 riod described in such subparagraph or who was in utero 

22 during such period while the mother of such family member 

23 resided at such location shall be eligible for hospital care 

24 and medical services furnished by the Secretary for any of 

25 the illnesses or conditions described in such subparagraph, 
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1 notwithstanding that there is insufficient medical evidence 

2 to conclude that such illnesses or conditions are attributable 

3 to such residence. 

4 ‘‘(b) LIMITATIONS.—(1) The Secretary may only fur5 nish hospital care and medical services under subsection (a) 

6 to the extent and in the amount provided in advance in 

7 appropriations Acts for such purpose. 

8 ‘‘(2) Hospital care and medical services may not be 

9 furnished under subsection (a) for an illness or condition 

10 of a family member that is found, in accordance with guide11 lines issued by the Under Secretary for Health, to have re12 sulted from a cause other than the residence of the family 

13 member described in that subsection. 

14 ‘‘(3) The Secretary may provide reimbursement for 

15 hospital care or medical services provided to a family mem16 ber under this section only after the family member or the 

17 provider of such care or services has exhausted without suc18 cess all claims and remedies reasonably available to the 

19 family member or provider against a third party (as de20 fined in section 1725(f) of this title) for payment of such 

21 care or services, including with respect to health-plan con22 tracts (as defined in such section).’’. 

23 (2) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sec24 tions at the beginning of such chapter is amended by 
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1 inserting after the item relating to section 1786 the 

2 following new item: 

‘‘1787. Health care of family members of veterans stationed at Camp Lejeune, 

North Carolina.’’. 

3 (c) ANNUAL REPORTS.— 

4 (1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than December 31 of 

5 each of 2013, 2014, and 2015, the Secretary of Vet6 erans Affairs shall submit to the Committee on Vet7 erans’ Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on 

8 Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives a re9 port on the care and services provided under sections 

10 1710(e)(1)(F) and 1787 of title 38, United States 

11 Code (as added by subsections (a) and (b)(1), respec12 tively). 

13 (2) ELEMENTS.—Each report under paragraph 

14 (1) shall set forth the following: 

15 (A) The number of veterans and family 

16 members provided hospital care and medical 

17 services under the provisions of law specified in 

18 paragraph (1) during the period beginning on 

19 October 1, 2012, and ending on the date of such 

20 report. 

21 (B) The illnesses, conditions, and disabil22 ities for which care and services have been pro23 vided such veterans and family members under 

24 such provisions of law during that period. 
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1 (C) The number of veterans and family 

2 members who applied for care and services under 

3 such provisions of law during that period but 

4 were denied, including information on the rea5 sons for such denials. 

6 (D) The number of veterans and family 

7 members who applied for care and services under 

8 such provisions of law and are awaiting a deci9 sion from the Secretary on eligibility for such 

10 care and services as of the date of such report. 

11 (d) EFFECTIVE DATE.— 

12 (1) IN GENERAL.—The provisions of this section 

13 and the amendments made by this section shall take 

14 effect on the date of the enactment of this Act. 

15 (2) APPLICABILITY.—Subparagraph (F) of sec16 tion 1710(e)(1) of such title, as added by subsection 

17 (a), and section 1787 of title 38, United States Code, 

18 as added by subsection (b)(1), shall apply with re19 spect to hospital care and medical services provided 

20 on or after the date of the enactment of this Act. 
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1 SEC. 103. AUTHORITY TO WAIVE COLLECTION OF COPAY2 MENTS FOR TELEHEALTH AND TELEMEDI3 CINE VISITS OF VETERANS. 

4 (a) IN GENERAL.—Subchapter III of chapter 17 is 

5 amended by inserting after section 1722A the following new 

6 section: 

7 ‘‘§ 1722B. Copayments: waiver of collection of copay8 ments for telehealth and telemedicine vis9 its of veterans 

10 ‘‘The Secretary may waive the imposition or collection 

11 of copayments for telehealth and telemedicine visits of vet12 erans under the laws administered by the Secretary.’’. 

13 (b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections at 

14 the beginning of such chapter is amended by inserting after 

15 the item relating to section 1722A the following new item: 

‘‘1722B. Copayments: waiver of collection of copayments for telehealth and telemedicine visits of veterans.’’. 

16 SEC. 104. TEMPORARY EXPANSION OF PAYMENTS AND AL17 LOWANCES FOR BENEFICIARY TRAVEL IN 

18 CONNECTION WITH VETERANS RECEIVING 

19 CARE FROM VET CENTERS. 

20 (a) IN GENERAL.—Beginning one year after the date 

21 of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Af22 fairs shall commence a three-year initiative to assess the 

23 feasibility and advisability of paying under section 111(a) 

24 of title 38, United States Code, the actual necessary ex-
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1 penses of travel or allowances for travel from a residence 

2 located in an area that is designated by the Secretary as 

3 highly rural to the nearest Vet Center and from such Vet 

4 Center to such residence. 

5 (b) REPORT.— 

6 (1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days after 

7 the date of the completion of the initiative, the Sec8 retary shall submit to Congress a report on the find9 ings of the Secretary with respect to the initiative re10 quired by subsection (a). 

11 (2) ELEMENTS.—The report required by para12 graph (1) shall include the following: 

13 (A) A description of the individuals who 

14 benefitted from payment under the initiative. 

15 (B) A description of any impediments to 

16 the Secretary in paying expenses or allowances 

17 under the initiative. 

18 (C) A description of any impediments en19 countered by individuals in receiving such pay20 ments. 

21 (D) An assessment of the feasibility and ad22 visability of paying such expenses or allowances. 

23 (E) An assessment of any fraudulent receipt 

24 of payment under the initiative and the rec-
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1 ommendations of the Secretary for legislative or 

2 administrative action to reduce such fraud. 

3 (F) Such recommendations for legislative or 

4 administrative action as the Secretary considers 

5 appropriate with respect to the payment of ex6 penses or allowances as described in subsection 

7 (a). 

8 (c) VET CENTER DEFINED.—In this section, the term 

9 ‘‘Vet Center’’ means a center for readjustment counseling 

10 and related mental health services for veterans under section 

11 1712A of title 38, United States Code. 

12 SEC. 105. CONTRACTS AND AGREEMENTS FOR NURSING 

13 HOME CARE. 

14 (a) CONTRACTS.—Section 1745(a) is amended— 

15 (1) in paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘The Secretary 

16 shall pay each State home for nursing home care at 

17 the rate determined under paragraph (2)’’ and insert18 ing ‘‘The Secretary shall enter into a contract (or 

19 agreement under section 1720(c)(1) of this title) with 

20 each State home for payment by the Secretary for 

21 nursing home care provided in the home’’; and 

22 (2) by striking paragraph (2) and inserting the 

23 following new paragraph (2): 

24 ‘‘(2) Payment under each contract (or agreement) be25 tween the Secretary and a State home under paragraph (1) 
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1 shall be based on a methodology, developed by the Secretary 

2 in consultation with the State home, to adequately reim3 burse the State home for the care provided by the State 

4 home under the contract (or agreement).’’. 

5 (b) AGREEMENTS.—Section 1720(c)(1)(A) is amend6 ed— 

7 (1) in clause (i), by striking ‘‘; and’’ and insert8 ing a semicolon; 

9 (2) in clause (ii), by striking the period at the 

10 end and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 

11 (3) by adding at the end the following new 

12 clause: 

13 ‘‘(iii) a provider of services eligible to enter into 

14 a contract pursuant to section 1745(a) of this title 

15 that is not otherwise described in clause (i) or (ii).’’. 

16 (c) EFFECTIVE DATE.— 

17 (1) IN GENERAL.—The amendments made by 

18 this section shall apply to care provided on or after 

19 the date that is 180 days after the date of the enact20 ment of this Act. 

21 (2) MAINTENANCE OF PRIOR METHODOLOGY OF

22 REIMBURSEMENT FOR CERTAIN STATE HOMES.—In 

23 the case of a State home that provided nursing home 

24 care on the day before the date of the enactment of 

25 this Act for which the State home was eligible for pay 
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1 under section 1745(a)(1) of title 38, United States 

2 Code, at the request of any State home, the Secretary 

3 shall offer to enter into a contract (or agreement de4 scribed in such section) with such State home under 

5 such section, as amended by subsection (a), for pay6 ment for nursing home care provided by such State 

7 home under such section that reflects the overall meth8 odology of reimbursement for such care that was in 

9 effect for such State home on the day before the date 

10 of the enactment of this Act. 

11 SEC. 106. COMPREHENSIVE POLICY ON REPORTING AND 

12 TRACKING SEXUAL ASSAULT INCIDENTS AND 

13 OTHER SAFETY INCIDENTS. 

14 (a) POLICY.—Subchapter I of chapter 17 is amended 

15 by adding at the end the following: 

16 ‘‘§ 1709. Comprehensive policy on reporting and track17 ing sexual assault incidents and other 

18 safety incidents 

19 ‘‘(a) POLICY REQUIRED.—(1) Not later than Sep20 tember 30, 2012, the Secretary shall develop and implement 

21 a centralized and comprehensive policy on the reporting 

22 and tracking of sexual assault incidents and other safety 

23 incidents that occur at each medical facility of the Depart24 ment, including— 
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1 ‘‘(A) suspected, alleged, attempted, or confirmed 

2 cases of sexual assault, regardless of whether such as3 saults lead to prosecution or conviction; 

4 ‘‘(B) criminal and purposefully unsafe acts; 

5 ‘‘(C) alcohol or substance abuse related acts (in6 cluding by employees of the Department); and 

7 ‘‘(D) any kind of event involving alleged or sus8 pected abuse of a patient. 

9 ‘‘(2) In developing and implementing a policy under 

10 paragraph (1), the Secretary shall consider the effects of 

11 such policy on— 

12 ‘‘(A) the use by veterans of mental health care 

13 and substance abuse treatments; and 

14 ‘‘(B) the ability of the Department to refer vet15 erans to such care or treatment. 

16 ‘‘(b) SCOPE.—The policy required by subsection (a) 

17 shall cover each of the following: 

18 ‘‘(1) For purposes of reporting and tracking sex19 ual assault incidents and other safety incidents, defi20 nitions of the terms— 

21 ‘‘(A) ‘safety incident’; 

22 ‘‘(B) ‘sexual assault’; and 

23 ‘‘(C) ‘sexual assault incident’. 

24 ‘‘(2)(A) The development and use of specific risk25 assessment tools to examine any risks related to sex-
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1 ual assault that a veteran may pose while being treat2 ed at a medical facility of the Department, including 

3 clear and consistent guidance on the collection of in4 formation related to— 

5 ‘‘(i) the legal history of the veteran; and 

6 ‘‘(ii) the medical record of the veteran. 

7 ‘‘(B) In developing and using tools under sub8 paragraph (A), the Secretary shall consider the effects 

9 of using such tools on the use by veterans of health 

10 care furnished by the Department. 

11 ‘‘(3) The mandatory training of employees of the 

12 Department on security issues, including awareness, 

13 preparedness, precautions, and police assistance. 

14 ‘‘(4) The mandatory implementation, use, and 

15 regular testing of appropriate physical security pre16 cautions and equipment, including surveillance cam17 era systems, computer-based panic alarm systems, 

18 stationary panic alarms, and electronic portable per19 sonal panic alarms. 

20 ‘‘(5) Clear, consistent, and comprehensive cri21 teria and guidance with respect to an employee of the 

22 Department communicating and reporting sexual as23 sault incidents and other safety incidents to— 

24 ‘‘(A) supervisory personnel of the employee 

25 at— 
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1 ‘‘(i) a medical facility of the Depart2 ment; 

3 ‘‘(ii) an office of a Veterans Integrated 

4 Service Network; and 

5 ‘‘(iii) the central office of the Veterans 

6 Health Administration; and 

7 ‘‘(B) a law enforcement official of the De8 partment. 

9 ‘‘(6) Clear and consistent criteria and guidelines 

10 with respect to an employee of the Department refer11 ring and reporting to the Office of Inspector General 

12 of the Department sexual assault incidents and other 

13 safety incidents that meet the regulatory criminal 

14 threshold prescribed under sections 901 and 902 of 

15 this title. 

16 ‘‘(7) An accountable oversight system within the 

17 Veterans Health Administration that includes— 

18 ‘‘(A) systematic information sharing of re19 ported sexual assault incidents and other safety 

20 incidents among officials of the Administration 

21 who have programmatic responsibility; and 

22 ‘‘(B) a centralized reporting, tracking, and 

23 monitoring system for such incidents. 

24 ‘‘(8) Consistent procedures and systems for law 

25 enforcement officials of the Department with respect 
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1 to investigating, tracking, and closing reported sexual 

2 assault incidents and other safety incidents. 

3 ‘‘(9) Clear and consistent guidance for the clin4 ical management of the treatment of sexual assaults 

5 that are reported more than 72 hours after the as6 sault. 

7 ‘‘(c) UPDATES TO POLICY.—The Secretary shall review 

8 and revise the policy required by subsection (a) on a peri9 odic basis as the Secretary considers appropriate and in 

10 accordance with best practices. 

11 ‘‘(d) ANNUAL REPORT.—(1) Not later than 60 days 

12 after the date on which the Secretary develops the policy 

13 required by subsection (a) and not later than October 1 of 

14 each year thereafter, the Secretary shall submit to the Com15 mittee on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and the Committee 

16 on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives a report 

17 on the implementation of the policy. 

18 ‘‘(2) The report required by paragraph (1) shall in19 clude— 

20 ‘‘(A) the number and type of sexual assault inci21 dents and other safety incidents reported by each 

22 medical facility of the Department; 

23 ‘‘(B) a detailed description of the implementa24 tion of the policy required by subsection (a), includ-
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1 ing any revisions made to such policy from the pre2 vious year; and 

3 ‘‘(C) the effectiveness of such policy on improving 

4 the safety and security of the medical facilities of the 

5 Department, including the performance measures used 

6 to evaluate such effectiveness.’’. 

7 (b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections at 

8 the beginning of such chapter is amended by adding after 

9 the item relating to section 1708 the following new item: 

‘‘1709. Comprehensive policy on reporting and tracking sexual assault incidents 

and other safety incidents.’’. 

10 (c) INTERIM REPORT.—Not later than 30 days after 

11 the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Vet12 erans Affairs shall submit to the Committee on Veterans’ 

13 Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Veterans’ Af14 fairs of the House of Representatives a report on the devel15 opment of the policy required by section 1709 of title 38, 

16 United States Code, as added by subsection (a). 

17 SEC. 107. REHABILITATIVE SERVICES FOR VETERANS WITH 

18 TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY. 

19 (a) REHABILITATION PLANS AND SERVICES.—Section 

20 1710C is amended— 

21 (1) in subsection (a)(1), by inserting before the 

22 semicolon the following: ‘‘with the goal of maximizing 

23 the individual’s independence’’; 

24 (2) in subsection (b)— 
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1 (A) in paragraph (1)— 

2 (i) by inserting ‘‘(and sustaining im3 provement in)’’ after ‘‘improving’’; 

4 (ii) by inserting ‘‘behavioral,’’ after 

5 ‘‘cognitive,’’; 

6 (B) in paragraph (2), by inserting ‘‘reha7 bilitative services and’’ before ‘‘rehabilitative 

8 components’’; and 

9 (C) in paragraph (3)— 

10 (i) by striking ‘‘treatments’’ the first 

11 place it appears and inserting ‘‘services’’; 

12 and 

13 (ii) by striking ‘‘treatments and’’ the 

14 second place it appears; and 

15 (3) by adding at the end the following new sub16 section: 

17 ‘‘(h) REHABILITATIVE SERVICES DEFINED.—For pur18 poses of this section, and sections 1710D and 1710E of this 

19 title, the term ‘rehabilitative services’ includes— 

20 ‘‘(1) rehabilitative services, as defined in section 

21 1701 of this title; 

22 ‘‘(2) treatment and services (which may be of on23 going duration) to sustain, and prevent loss of, func24 tional gains that have been achieved; and 
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1 ‘‘(3) any other rehabilitative services or supports 

2 that may contribute to maximizing an individual’s 

3 independence.’’. 

4 (b) REHABILITATION SERVICES IN COMPREHENSIVE

5 PROGRAM FOR LONG-TERM REHABILITATION.—Section 

6 1710D(a) is amended— 

7 (1) by inserting ‘‘and rehabilitative services (as 

8 defined in section 1710C of this title)’’ after ‘‘long9 term care’’; and 

10 (2) by striking ‘‘treatment’’. 

11 (c) REHABILITATION SERVICES IN AUTHORITY FOR

12 COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS FOR USE OF NON-DEPART13 MENT FACILITIES FOR REHABILITATION.—Section 

14 1710E(a) is amended by inserting ‘‘, including rehabilita15 tive services (as defined in section 1710C of this title),’’ 

16 after ‘‘medical services’’. 

17 (d) TECHNICAL AMENDMENT.—Section 

18 1710C(c)(2)(S) of title 38, United States Code, is amended 

19 by striking ‘‘opthamologist’’ and inserting ‘‘ophthalmol20 ogist’’. 

21 SEC. 108. TELECONSULTATION AND TELEMEDICINE. 

22 (a) TELECONSULTATION.— 

23 (1) IN GENERAL.—Subchapter I of chapter 17, as 

24 amended by section 106(a), is further amended by 

25 adding at the end the following new section: 
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1 ‘‘§ 1709A. Teleconsultation 

2 ‘‘(a) TELECONSULTATION.—(1) The Secretary shall 

3 carry out an initiative of teleconsultation for the provision 

4 of remote mental health and traumatic brain injury assess5 ments in facilities of the Department that are not otherwise 

6 able to provide such assessments without contracting with 

7 third-party providers or reimbursing providers through a 

8 fee basis system. 

9 ‘‘(2) The Secretary shall, in consultation with appro10 priate professional societies, promulgate technical and clin11 ical care standards for the use of teleconsultation services 

12 within facilities of the Department. 

13 ‘‘(3) In carrying out an initiative under paragraph 

14 (1), the Secretary shall ensure that facilities of the Depart15 ment are able to provide a mental health or traumatic brain 

16 injury assessment to a veteran through contracting with a 

17 third-party provider or reimbursing a provider through a 

18 fee basis system when— 

19 ‘‘(A) such facilities are not able to provide such 

20 assessment to the veteran without— 

21 ‘‘(i) such contracting or reimbursement; or 

22 ‘‘(ii) teleconsultation; and 

23 ‘‘(B) providing such assessment with such con24 tracting or reimbursement is more clinically appro25 priate for the veteran than providing such assessment 

26 with teleconsultation. 
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1 ‘‘(b) TELECONSULTATION DEFINED.—In this section, 

2 the term ‘teleconsultation’ means the use by a health care 

3 specialist of telecommunications to assist another health 

4 care provider in rendering a diagnosis or treatment.’’. 

5 (2) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sec6 tions at the beginning of chapter 17 is amended by 

7 inserting after the item relating to section 1709, as 

8 added by section 106(b), the following new item: 

‘‘1709A. Teleconsultation.’’. 

9 (b) TRAINING IN TELEMEDICINE.— 

10 (1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Veterans Af11 fairs shall, to the extent feasible, offer medical resi12 dents opportunities in training in telemedicine for 

13 medical residency programs. The Secretary shall con14 sult with the Accreditation Council for Graduate 

15 Medical Education and with universities with which 

16 facilities of the Department have a major affiliation 

17 to determine the feasibility and advisability of mak18 ing telehealth a mandatory component of medical 

19 residency programs. 

20 (2) TELEMEDICINE DEFINED.—In this sub21 section, the term ‘‘telemedicine’’ means the use by a 

22 health care provider of telecommunications to assist 

23 in the diagnosis or treatment of a patient’s medical 

24 condition. 
24 

† HR 1627 EAS 

1 SEC. 109. USE OF SERVICE DOGS ON PROPERTY OF THE DE2 PARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS. 

3 Section 901 is amended by adding at the end the fol4 lowing new subsection: 

5 ‘‘(f)(1) The Secretary may not prohibit the use of a 

6 covered service dog in any facility or on any property of 

7 the Department or in any facility or on any property that 

8 receives funding from the Secretary. 

9 ‘‘(2) For purposes of this subsection, a covered service 

10 dog is a service dog that has been trained by an entity that 

11 is accredited by an appropriate accrediting body that eval12 uates and accredits organizations which train guide or serv13 ice dogs.’’. 

14 SEC. 110. RECOGNITION OF RURAL HEALTH RESOURCE 

15 CENTERS IN OFFICE OF RURAL HEALTH. 

16 Section 7308 is amended by adding at the end the fol17 lowing new subsection: 

18 ‘‘(d) RURAL HEALTH RESOURCE CENTERS.—(1) 

19 There are, in the Office, veterans rural health resource cen20 ters that serve as satellite offices for the Office. 

21 ‘‘(2) The veterans rural health resource centers have 

22 purposes as follows: 

23 ‘‘(A) To improve the understanding of the Office 

24 of the challenges faced by veterans living in rural 

25 areas. 
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† HR 1627 EAS 

1 ‘‘(B) To identify disparities in the availability 

2 of health care to veterans living in rural areas. 

3 ‘‘(C) To formulate practices or programs to en4 hance the delivery of health care to veterans living in 

5 rural areas. 

6 ‘‘(D) To develop special practices and products 

7 for the benefit of veterans living in rural areas and 

8 for implementation of such practices and products in 

9 the Department systemwide.’’. 

10 SEC. 111. IMPROVEMENTS FOR RECOVERY AND COLLEC11 TION OF AMOUNTS FOR DEPARTMENT OF 

12 VETERANS AFFAIRS MEDICAL CARE COLLEC13 TIONS FUND. 

14 (a) DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION OF PLAN

15 FOR RECOVERY AND COLLECTION.— 

16 (1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 270 days after 

17 the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of 

18 Veterans Affairs shall develop and implement a plan 

19 to ensure the recovery and collection of amounts 

20 under the provisions of law described in section 

21 1729A(b) of title 38, United States Code, for deposit 

22 in the Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Care 

23 Collections Fund. 

24 (2) ELEMENTS.—The plan required by para25 graph (1) shall include the following: 
26 

† HR 1627 EAS 

1 (A) An effective process to identify billable 

2 fee claims. 

3 (B) Effective and practicable policies and 

4 procedures that ensure recovery and collection of 

5 amounts described in section 1729A(b) of such 

6 title. 

7 (C) The training of employees of the De8 partment, on or before September 30, 2013, who 

9 are responsible for the recovery or collection of 

10 such amounts to enable such employees to comply 

11 with the process required by subparagraph (A) 

12 and the policies and procedures required by sub13 paragraph (B). 

14 (D) Fee revenue goals for the Department. 

15 (E) An effective monitoring system to en16 sure achievement of goals described in subpara17 graph (D) and compliance with the policies and 

18 procedures described in subparagraph (B). 

19 (b) MONITORING OF THIRD-PARTY COLLECTIONS.— 

20 The Secretary shall monitor the recovery and collection of 

21 amounts from third parties (as defined in section 1729(i) 

22 of such title) for deposit in such fund. 

23 SEC. 112. EXTENSION OF AUTHORITY FOR COPAYMENTS. 

24 Section 1710(f)(2)(B) is amended by striking ‘‘Sep25 tember 30, 2012’’ and inserting ‘‘September 30, 2013’’. 
27 

† HR 1627 EAS 

1 SEC. 113. EXTENSION OF AUTHORITY FOR RECOVERY OF 

2 COST OF CERTAIN CARE AND SERVICES. 

3 Section 1729(a)(2)(E) is amended by striking ‘‘Octo4 ber 1, 2012’’ and inserting ‘‘October 1, 2013’’. 

5 TITLE II—HOUSING MATTERS 

6 SEC. 201. SHORT TITLE. 

7 This title may be cited as the ‘‘Andrew Connelly Vet8 erans Housing Act’’. 

9 SEC. 202. TEMPORARY EXPANSION OF ELIGIBILITY FOR 

10 SPECIALLY ADAPTED HOUSING ASSISTANCE 

11 FOR CERTAIN VETERANS WITH DISABILITIES 

12 CAUSING DIFFICULTY WITH AMBULATING. 

13 (a) IN GENERAL.—Paragraph (2) of section 2101(a) 

14 is amended to read as follows: 

15 ‘‘(2)(A) A veteran is described in this paragraph if the 

16 veteran— 

17 ‘‘(i) is entitled to compensation under chapter 11 

18 of this title for a permanent and total service-con19 nected disability that meets any of the criteria de20 scribed in subparagraph (B); or 

21 ‘‘(ii) served in the Armed Forces on or after Sep22 tember 11, 2001, and is entitled to compensation 

23 under chapter 11 of this title for a permanent service24 connected disability that meets the criterion described 

25 in subparagraph (C). 
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† HR 1627 EAS 

1 ‘‘(B) The criteria described in this subparagraph are 

2 as follows: 

3 ‘‘(i) The disability is due to the loss, or loss of 

4 use, of both lower extremities such as to preclude loco5 motion without the aid of braces, crutches, canes, or 

6 a wheelchair. 

7 ‘‘(ii) The disability is due to— 

8 ‘‘(I) blindness in both eyes, having only 

9 light perception, plus (ii) loss or loss of use of 

10 one lower extremity. 

11 ‘‘(iii) The disability is due to the loss or loss of 

12 use of one lower extremity together with— 

13 ‘‘(I) residuals of organic disease or injury; 

14 or 

15 ‘‘(II) the loss or loss of use of one upper ex16 tremity, 

17 which so affect the functions of balance or propulsion 

18 as to preclude locomotion without the aid of braces, 

19 crutches, canes, or a wheelchair. 

20 ‘‘(iv) The disability is due to the loss, or loss of 

21 use, of both upper extremities such as to preclude use 

22 of the arms at or above the elbows. 

23 ‘‘(v) The disability is due to a severe burn injury 

24 (as determined pursuant to regulations prescribed by 

25 the Secretary). 
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† HR 1627 EAS 

1 ‘‘(C) The criterion described in this subparagraph is 

2 that the disability— 

3 ‘‘(i) was incurred on or after September 11, 

4 2001; and 

5 ‘‘(ii) is due to the loss or loss of use of one or 

6 more lower extremities which so affects the functions 

7 of balance or propulsion as to preclude ambulating 

8 without the aid of braces, crutches, canes, or a wheel9 chair.’’. 

10 (b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendment made by sub11 section (a) shall take effect on October 1, 2012. 

12 (c) SUNSET.—Subsection (a) of section 2101 is amend13 ed— 

14 (1) in paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘to paragraph 

15 (3)’’ and inserting ‘‘to paragraphs (3) and (4)’’; and 

16 (2) by adding at the end the following new para17 graph: 

18 ‘‘(4) The Secretary’s authority to furnish assistance 

19 under paragraph (1) to a disabled veteran described in 

20 paragraph (2)(A)(ii) shall apply only with respect to appli21 cations for such assistance approved by the Secretary on 

22 or before September 30, 2013.’’. 
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† HR 1627 EAS 

1 SEC. 203. EXPANSION OF ELIGIBILITY FOR SPECIALLY 

2 ADAPTED HOUSING ASSISTANCE FOR VET3 ERANS WITH VISION IMPAIRMENT. 

4 (a) IN GENERAL.—Paragraph (2) of section 2101(b) 

5 is amended to read as follows: 

6 ‘‘(2) A veteran is described in this paragraph if the 

7 veteran is entitled to compensation under chapter 11 of this 

8 title for a service-connected disability that meets any of the 

9 following criteria: 

10 ‘‘(A) The disability is due to blindness in both 

11 eyes, having central visual acuity of 20/200 or less in 

12 the better eye with the use of a standard correcting 

13 lens. For the purposes of this subparagraph, an eye 

14 with a limitation in the fields of vision such that the 

15 widest diameter of the visual field subtends an angle 

16 no greater than 20 degrees shall be considered as hav17 ing a central visual acuity of 20/200 or less. 

18 ‘‘(B) A permanent and total disability that in19 cludes the anatomical loss or loss of use of both hands. 

20 ‘‘(C) A permanent and total disability that is 

21 due to a severe burn injury (as so determined).’’. 

22 (b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendment made by sub23 section (a) shall take effect on October 1, 2012. 
31 

† HR 1627 EAS 

1 SEC. 204. REVISED LIMITATIONS ON ASSISTANCE FUR2 NISHED FOR ACQUISITION AND ADAPTATION 

3 OF HOUSING FOR DISABLED VETERANS. 

4 (a) IN GENERAL.—Subsection (d) of section 2102 is 

5 amended to read as follows: 

6 ‘‘(d)(1) The aggregate amount of assistance available 

7 to an individual under section 2101(a) of this title shall 

8 be limited to $63,780. 

9 ‘‘(2) The aggregate amount of assistance available to 

10 an individual under section 2101(b) of this title shall be 

11 limited to $12,756. 

12 ‘‘(3) No veteran may receive more than three grants 

13 of assistance under this chapter.’’. 

14 (b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by sub15 section (a) shall take effect on the date that is one year after 

16 the date of the enactment of this Act and shall apply with 

17 respect to assistance provided under sections 2101(a), 

18 2101(b), and 2102A of title 38, United States Code, after 

19 such date. 

20 (c) MAINTENANCE OF HIGHER RATES.—The amend21 ment made by subsection (a) shall not be construed to de22 crease the aggregate amount of assistance available to an 

23 individual under the sections described in subsection (b), 

24 as most recently increased by the Secretary pursuant to sec25 tion 2102(e) of such title. 
32 

† HR 1627 EAS 

1 SEC. 205. IMPROVEMENTS TO ASSISTANCE FOR DISABLED 

2 VETERANS RESIDING IN HOUSING OWNED BY 

3 A FAMILY MEMBER. 

4 (a) INCREASED ASSISTANCE.—Subsection (b) of sec5 tion 2102A is amended— 

6 (1) in paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘$14,000’’ and 

7 inserting ‘‘$28,000’’; and 

8 (2) in paragraph (2), by striking ‘‘$2,000’’ and 

9 inserting ‘‘$5,000’’. 

10 (b) INDEXING OF LEVELS OF ASSISTANCE.—Such sub11 section is further amended— 

12 (1) by redesignating paragraphs (1) and (2) as 

13 subparagraphs (A) and (B), respectively; 

14 (2) in the matter before subparagraph (A), as re15 designated by paragraph (1), by inserting ‘‘(1)’’ be16 fore ‘‘The’’; and 

17 (3) by adding at the end the following new para18 graph (2): 

19 ‘‘(2) Effective on October 1 of each year (beginning in 

20 2012), the Secretary shall use the same percentage cal21 culated pursuant to section 2102(e) of this title to increase 

22 the amounts described in paragraph (1) of this subsection.’’. 

23 (c) EXTENSION OF AUTHORITY FOR ASSISTANCE.— 

24 Subsection (e) of such section is amended by striking ‘‘De25 cember 31, 2012’’ and inserting ‘‘December 31, 2022’’. 
33 

† HR 1627 EAS 

1 (d) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by this 

2 section shall take effect on the date of the enactment of this 

3 Act and shall apply with respect to assistance furnished in 

4 accordance with section 2102A of title 38, United States 

5 Code, on or after that date. 

6 SEC. 206. DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS HOUSING 

7 LOAN GUARANTEES FOR SURVIVING SPOUSES 

8 OF CERTAIN TOTALLY DISABLED VETERANS. 

9 (a) IN GENERAL.—Section 3701(b) is amended by 

10 adding at the end the following new paragraph: 

11 ‘‘(6) The term ‘veteran’ also includes, for pur12 poses of home loans, the surviving spouse of a veteran 

13 who died and who was in receipt of or entitled to re14 ceive (or but for the receipt of retired or retirement 

15 pay was entitled to receive) compensation at the time 

16 of death for a service-connected disability rated to17 tally disabling if— 

18 ‘‘(A) the disability was continuously rated 

19 totally disabling for a period of 10 or more years 

20 immediately preceding death; 

21 ‘‘(B) the disability was continuously rated 

22 totally disabling for a period of not less than five 

23 years from the date of such veteran’s discharge or 

24 other release from active duty; or 
34 

† HR 1627 EAS 

1 ‘‘(C) the veteran was a former prisoner of 

2 war who died after September 30, 1999, and the 

3 disability was continuously rated totally dis4 abling for a period of not less than one year im5 mediately preceding death.’’. 

6 (b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendment made by sub7 section (a) shall apply with respect to a loan guaranteed 

8 after the date of the enactment of this Act. 

9 (c) CLARIFICATION WITH RESPECT TO CERTAIN

10 FEES.—Fees shall be collected under section 3729 of title 

11 38, United States Code, from a person described in para12 graph (6) of section 3701(b) of such title, as added by sub13 section (a) of this section, in the same manner as such fees 

14 are collected from a person described in paragraph (2) of 

15 section 3701(b) of such title. 

16 SEC. 207. OCCUPANCY OF PROPERTY BY DEPENDENT CHILD 

17 OF VETERAN FOR PURPOSES OF MEETING OC18 CUPANCY REQUIREMENT FOR DEPARTMENT 

19 OF VETERANS AFFAIRS HOUSING LOANS. 

20 Paragraph (2) of section 3704(c) is amended to read 

21 as follows: 

22 ‘‘(2) In any case in which a veteran is in active-duty 

23 status as a member of the Armed Forces and is unable to 

24 occupy a property because of such status, the occupancy re-
35 

† HR 1627 EAS 

1 quirements of this chapter shall be considered to be satisfied 

2 if— 

3 ‘‘(A) the spouse of the veteran occupies or intends 

4 to occupy the property as a home and the spouse 

5 makes the certification required by paragraph (1) of 

6 this subsection; or 

7 ‘‘(B) a dependent child of the veteran occupies or 

8 will occupy the property as a home and the veteran’s 

9 attorney-in-fact or legal guardian of the dependent 

10 child makes the certification required by paragraph 

11 (1) of this subsection.’’. 

12 SEC. 208. MAKING PERMANENT PROJECT FOR GUARAN13 TEEING OF ADJUSTABLE RATE MORTGAGES. 

14 Section 3707(a) is amended by striking ‘‘demonstra15 tion project under this section during fiscal years 1993 

16 through 2012’’ and inserting ‘‘project under this section’’. 

17 SEC. 209. MAKING PERMANENT PROJECT FOR INSURING 

18 HYBRID ADJUSTABLE RATE MORTGAGES. 

19 Section 3707A(a) is amended by striking ‘‘demonstra20 tion project under this section during fiscal years 2004 

21 through 2012’’ and inserting ‘‘project under this section’’. 
36 

† HR 1627 EAS 

1 SEC. 210. WAIVER OF LOAN FEE FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH 

2 DISABILITY RATINGS ISSUED DURING PRE3 DISCHARGE PROGRAMS. 

4 Paragraph (2) of section 3729(c) is amended to read 

5 as follows: 

6 ‘‘(2)(A) A veteran described in subparagraph (B) shall 

7 be treated as receiving compensation for purposes of this 

8 subsection as of the date of the rating described in such sub9 paragraph without regard to whether an effective date of 

10 the award of compensation is established as of that date. 

11 ‘‘(B) A veteran described in this subparagraph is a 

12 veteran who is rated eligible to receive compensation— 

13 ‘‘(i) as the result of a pre-discharge disability ex14 amination and rating; or 

15 ‘‘(ii) based on a pre-discharge review of existing 

16 medical evidence (including service medical and 

17 treatment records) that results in the issuance of a 

18 memorandum rating.’’. 

19 SEC. 211. MODIFICATION OF AUTHORITIES FOR ENHANCED20 USE LEASES OF REAL PROPERTY. 

21 (a) SUPPORTIVE HOUSING DEFINED.—Section 8161 is 

22 amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph: 

23 ‘‘(3) The term ‘supportive housing’ means hous24 ing that engages tenants in on-site and community25 based support services for veterans or their families 
37 

† HR 1627 EAS 

1 that are at risk of homelessness or are homeless. Such 

2 term may include the following: 

3 ‘‘(A) Transitional housing. 

4 ‘‘(B) Single-room occupancy. 

5 ‘‘(C) Permanent housing. 

6 ‘‘(D) Congregate living housing. 

7 ‘‘(E) Independent living housing. 

8 ‘‘(F) Assisted living housing. 

9 ‘‘(G) Other modalities of housing.’’. 

10 (b) MODIFICATION OF LIMITATIONS ON ENHANCED

11 USE LEASES.— 

12 (1) IN GENERAL.—Paragraph (2) of section 

13 8162(a) is amended to read as follows: 

14 ‘‘(2) The Secretary may enter into an enhanced-use 

15 lease only for the provision of supportive housing and the 

16 lease is not inconsistent with and will not adversely affect 

17 the mission of the Department.’’. 

18 (2) EFFECTIVE DATE.— 

19 (A) IN GENERAL.—Paragraph (2) of section 

20 8162(a) of title 38, United States Code, as 

21 amended by paragraph (1), shall take effect on 

22 January 1, 2012, and shall apply with respect 

23 to enhanced-use leases entered into on or after 

24 such date. 
38 

† HR 1627 EAS 

1 (B) PREVIOUS LEASES.—Any enhanced-use 

2 lease that the Secretary has entered into prior to 

3 the date described in subparagraph (A) shall be 

4 subject to the provisions of subchapter V of chap5 ter 81 of such title, as in effect on the day before 

6 the date of the enactment of this Act. 

7 (c) CONSIDERATION FOR AND TERMS OF ENHANCED8 USE LEASES.— 

9 (1) IN GENERAL.—Section 8162(b) is amended— 

10 (A) in paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘(A) If 

11 the Secretary’’ and all that follows through 

12 ‘‘under subparagraph (A).’’ and inserting the fol13 lowing: ‘‘If the Secretary has determined that a 

14 property should be leased to another party 

15 through an enhanced-use lease, the Secretary 

16 shall, at the Secretary’s discretion, select the 

17 party with whom the lease will be entered into 

18 using such selection procedures as the Secretary 

19 considers appropriate.’’; 

20 (B) by amending paragraph (3) to read as 

21 follows: 

22 ‘‘(3)(A) For any enhanced-use lease entered into by the 

23 Secretary, the lease consideration provided to the Secretary 

24 shall consist solely of cash at fair value as determined by 

25 the Secretary. 
39 

† HR 1627 EAS 

1 ‘‘(B) The Secretary shall receive no other type of con2 sideration for an enhanced-use lease besides cash. 

3 ‘‘(C) The Secretary may enter into an enhanced-use 

4 lease without receiving consideration.’’; 

5 (C) in paragraph (4), by striking ‘‘Sec6 retary to’’ and all that follows through ‘‘use 

7 minor’’ and inserting ‘‘Secretary to use minor’’; 

8 and 

9 (D) by adding at the end the following new 

10 paragraphs: 

11 ‘‘(5) The terms of an enhanced-use lease may not pro12 vide for any acquisition, contract, demonstration, exchange, 

13 grant, incentive, procurement, sale, other transaction au14 thority, service agreement, use agreement, lease, or lease15 back by the Secretary or Federal Government. 

16 ‘‘(6) The Secretary may not enter into an enhanced17 use lease without certification in advance in writing by the 

18 Director of the Office of Management and Budget that such 

19 lease complies with the requirements of this subchapter.’’. 

20 (2) EFFECTIVE DATE.—Paragraph (3) of section 

21 8162(b), as amended by paragraph (1)(B) of this sub22 section, shall take effect on January 1, 2012, and 

23 shall apply with respect to enhanced-use leases en24 tered into on or after such date. 
40 

† HR 1627 EAS 

1 (d) PROHIBITED ENHANCED-USE LEASES.—Section 

2 8162(c) is amended— 

3 (1) by striking paragraph (2); and 

4 (2) in paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘(1) Subject to 

5 paragraph (2), the’’ and inserting ‘‘The’’. 

6 (e) DISPOSITION OF LEASED PROPERTY.—Subsection 

7 (b) of section 8164 is amended to read as follows: 

8 ‘‘(b) A disposition under this section may be made in 

9 return for cash at fair value as the Secretary determines 

10 is in the best interest of the United States and upon such 

11 other terms and conditions as the Secretary considers ap12 propriate.’’. 

13 (f) USE OF AMOUNTS RECEIVED FOR DISPOSITION OF

14 LEASED PROPERTY.—Section 8165(a)(2) is amended by 

15 striking ‘‘in the Department of Veterans Affairs Capital 

16 Asset Fund established under section 8118 of this title’’ and 

17 inserting ‘‘into the Department of Veterans Affairs Con18 struction, Major Projects account or Construction, Minor 

19 Projects account, as the Secretary considers appropriate’’. 

20 (g) CONSTRUCTION STANDARDS.—Section 8166 is 

21 amended to read as follows: 

22 ‘‘§ 8166. Construction standards 

23 ‘‘The construction, alteration, repair, remodeling, or 

24 improvement of a property that is the subject of an en25 hanced-use lease shall be carried out so as to comply with 
41 

† HR 1627 EAS 

1 all applicable provisions of Federal, State, and local law 

2 relating to land use, building standards, permits, and in3 spections.’’. 

4 (h) EXEMPTION FROM STATE AND LOCAL TAXES.— 

5 Section 8167 is amended to read as follows: 

6 ‘‘§ 8167. Exemption from State and local taxes 

7 ‘‘(a) IMPROVEMENTS AND OPERATIONS NOT EXEMPT8 ED.—The improvements and operations on land leased by 

9 a person with an enhanced-use lease from the Secretary 

10 shall be subject to all applicable provisions of Federal, 

11 State, or local law relating to taxation, fees, and assess12 ments. 

13 ‘‘(b) UNDERLYING FEE TITLE INTEREST EXEMPT14 ED.—The underlying fee title interest of the United States 

15 in any land subject to an enhanced-use lease shall not be 

16 subject, directly or indirectly, to any provision of State or 

17 local law relating to taxation, fees, or assessments.’’. 

18 (i) ANNUAL REPORTS.— 

19 (1) IN GENERAL.—Subchapter V of chapter 81 is 

20 amended by inserting after section 8167 the following 

21 new section: 

22 ‘‘§ 8168. Annual reports 

23 ‘‘(a) REPORT ON ADMINISTRATION OF LEASES.—Not 

24 later than 120 days after the date of the enactment of the 

25 Honoring America’s Veterans and Caring for Camp 
42 

† HR 1627 EAS 

1 Lejeune Families Act of 2012 and not less frequently than 

2 once each year thereafter, the Secretary shall submit to Con3 gress a report identifying the actions taken by the Secretary 

4 to implement and administer enhanced-use leases. 

5 ‘‘(b) REPORT ON LEASE CONSIDERATION.—Each year, 

6 as part of the annual budget submission of the President 

7 to Congress under section 1105(a) of title 31, the Secretary 

8 shall submit to Congress a detailed report of the consider9 ation received by the Secretary for each enhanced-use lease 

10 under this subchapter, along with an overview of how the 

11 Secretary is utilizing such consideration to support vet12 erans.’’. 

13 (2) ELEMENTS OF INITIAL REPORT.—The first 

14 report submitted by the Secretary under section 

15 8168(a) of title 38, United States Code, as added by 

16 paragraph (1), shall include a summary of those 

17 measures the Secretary is taking to address the fol18 lowing recommendations from the February 9, 2012, 

19 audit report of the Department of Veterans Affairs 

20 Office of Inspector General on enhanced-use leases 

21 under subchapter V of chapter 81 of title 38, United 

22 States Code: 

23 (A) Improve standards to ensure complete 

24 lease agreements are negotiated in line with stra25 tegic goals of the Department of Veterans Affairs. 
43 

† HR 1627 EAS 

1 (B) Institute improved policies and proce2 dures to govern activities such as monitoring en3 hanced-use lease projects and calculating, 

4 classifying, and reporting on enhanced-use lease 

5 benefits and expenses. 

6 (C) Recalculate and update enhanced-use 

7 lease expenses and benefits reported in the most 

8 recent Enhanced-Use Lease Consideration Report 

9 of the Department. 

10 (D) Establish improved oversight mecha11 nisms to ensure major enhanced-use lease project 

12 decisions are documented and maintained in ac13 cordance with policy. 

14 (E) Establish improved criteria to measure 

15 timeliness and performance in enhanced-use 

16 lease project development and execution. 

17 (F) Establish improved criteria and guide18 lines for assessing projects to determine whether 

19 they are or remain viable candidates for en20 hanced-use leases. 

21 (3) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sec22 tions at the beginning of chapter 81 is amended by 

23 inserting after the item relating to section 8167 the 

24 following new item: 

‘‘8168. Annual reports.’’. 
44 

† HR 1627 EAS 

1 (j) EXPIRATION OF AUTHORITY.—Section 8169 is 

2 amended by striking ‘‘December 31, 2011’’ and inserting 

3 ‘‘December 31, 2023’’. 

4 (k) EFFECTIVE DATE.—Except as otherwise provided 

5 in this section, the amendments made by this section shall 

6 take effect on the date of the enactment of this Act. 

7 TITLE III—HOMELESS MATTERS 

8 SEC. 301. ENHANCEMENT OF COMPREHENSIVE SERVICE 

9 PROGRAMS. 

10 (a) ENHANCEMENT OF GRANTS.—Section 2011 is 

11 amended— 

12 (1) in subsection (b)(1)(A), by striking ‘‘expan13 sion, remodeling, or alteration of existing buildings, 

14 or acquisition of facilities,’’ and inserting ‘‘new con15 struction of facilities, expansion, remodeling, or alter16 ation of existing facilities, or acquisition of facili17 ties,’’; and 

18 (2) in subsection (c)— 

19 (A) in the first sentence, by striking ‘‘A 

20 grant’’ and inserting ‘‘(1) A grant’’; 

21 (B) in the second sentence of paragraph (1), 

22 as designated by subparagraph (A), by striking 

23 ‘‘The amount’’ and inserting the following: 

24 ‘‘(2) The amount’’; and 
45 

† HR 1627 EAS 

1 (C) by adding at the end the following new 

2 paragraph: 

3 ‘‘(3)(A) The Secretary may not deny an application 

4 from an entity that seeks a grant under this section to carry 

5 out a project described in subsection (b)(1)(A) solely on the 

6 basis that the entity proposes to use funding from other pri7 vate or public sources, if the entity demonstrates that a pri8 vate nonprofit organization will provide oversight and site 

9 control for the project. 

10 ‘‘(B) In this paragraph, the term ‘private nonprofit 

11 organization’ means the following: 

12 ‘‘(i) An incorporated private institution, organi13 zation, or foundation— 

14 ‘‘(I) that has received, or has temporary 

15 clearance to receive, tax-exempt status under 

16 paragraph (2), (3), or (19) of section 501(c) of 

17 the Internal Revenue Code of 1986; 

18 ‘‘(II) for which no part of the net earnings 

19 of the institution, organization, or foundation 

20 inures to the benefit of any member, founder, or 

21 contributor of the institution, organization, or 

22 foundation; and 

23 ‘‘(III) that the Secretary determines is fi24 nancially responsible. 
46 

† HR 1627 EAS 

1 ‘‘(ii) A for-profit limited partnership or limited 

2 liability company, the sole general partner or man3 ager of which is an organization that is described by 

4 subclauses (I) through (III) of clause (i). 

5 ‘‘(iii) A corporation wholly owned and controlled 

6 by an organization that is described by subclauses (I) 

7 through (III) of clause (i).’’. 

8 (b) GRANT AND PER DIEM PAYMENTS.— 

9 (1) STUDY AND DEVELOPMENT OF FISCAL CON10 TROLS AND PAYMENT METHOD.—Not later than one 

11 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the 

12 Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall— 

13 (A) complete a study of all matters relating 

14 to the method used by the Secretary to make per 

15 diem payments under section 2012(a) of title 38, 

16 United States Code, including changes antici17 pated by the Secretary in the cost of furnishing 

18 services to homeless veterans and accounting for 

19 costs of providing such services in various geo20 graphic areas; 

21 (B) develop more effective and efficient pro22 cedures for fiscal control and fund accounting by 

23 recipients of grants under sections 2011, 2012, 

24 and 2061 of such title; and 
47 

† HR 1627 EAS 

1 (C) develop a more effective and efficient 

2 method for adequately reimbursing recipients of 

3 grants under section 2011 of such title for serv4 ices furnished to homeless veterans. 

5 (2) CONSIDERATION.—In developing the method 

6 required by paragraph (1)(C), the Secretary may con7 sider payments and grants received by recipients of 

8 grants described in such paragraph from other de9 partments and agencies of Federal and local govern10 ments and from private entities. 

11 (3) REPORT.—Not later than one year after the 

12 date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall 

13 submit to Congress a report on— 

14 (A) the findings of the Secretary with re15 spect to the study required by subparagraph (A) 

16 of paragraph (1); 

17 (B) the methods developed under subpara18 graphs (B) and (C) of such paragraph; and 

19 (C) any recommendations of the Secretary 

20 for revising the method described in subpara21 graph (A) of such paragraph and any legislative 

22 action the Secretary considers necessary to im23 plement such method. 
48 

† HR 1627 EAS 

1 SEC. 302. MODIFICATION OF AUTHORITY FOR PROVISION 

2 OF TREATMENT AND REHABILITATION TO 

3 CERTAIN VETERANS TO INCLUDE PROVISION 

4 OF TREATMENT AND REHABILITATION TO 

5 HOMELESS VETERANS WHO ARE NOT SERI6 OUSLY MENTALLY ILL. 

7 Section 2031(a) is amended in the matter before para8 graph (1) by striking ‘‘, including’’ and inserting ‘‘and to’’. 

9 SEC. 303. MODIFICATION OF GRANT PROGRAM FOR HOME10 LESS VETERANS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS. 

11 (a) INCLUSION OF ENTITIES ELIGIBLE FOR COM12 PREHENSIVE SERVICE PROGRAM GRANTS AND PER DIEM

13 PAYMENTS FOR SERVICES TO HOMELESS VETERANS.— 

14 Subsection (a) of section 2061 is amended— 

15 (1) by striking ‘‘to grant and per diem pro16 viders’’ and inserting ‘‘to entities eligible for grants 

17 and per diem payments under sections 2011 and 

18 2012 of this title’’; and 

19 (2) by striking ‘‘by those facilities and pro20 viders’’ and inserting ‘‘by those facilities and enti21 ties’’. 

22 (b) INCLUSION OF MALE HOMELESS VETERANS WITH

23 MINOR DEPENDENTS.—Subsection (b) of such section is 

24 amended— 

25 (1) in paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘, including 

26 women who have care of minor dependents’’; 
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1 (2) in paragraph (3), by striking ‘‘or’’; 

2 (3) in paragraph (4), by striking the period at 

3 the end and inserting ‘‘; or’’; and 

4 (4) by adding at the end the following new para5 graph: 

6 ‘‘(5) individuals who have care of minor depend7 ents.’’. 

8 (c) AUTHORIZATION OF PROVISION OF SERVICES TO

9 DEPENDENTS.—Such section is further amended— 

10 (1) by redesignating subsection (c) as subsection 

11 (d); and 

12 (2) by inserting after subsection (b) the following 

13 new subsection (c): 

14 ‘‘(c) PROVISION OF SERVICES TO DEPENDENTS.—A re15 cipient of a grant under subsection (a) may use amounts 

16 under the grant to provide services directly to a dependent 

17 of a homeless veteran with special needs who is under the 

18 care of such homeless veteran while such homeless veteran 

19 receives services from the grant recipient under this sec20 tion.’’. 

21 SEC. 304. COLLABORATION IN PROVISION OF CASE MAN22 AGEMENT SERVICES TO HOMELESS VET23 ERANS IN SUPPORTED HOUSING PROGRAM. 

24 (a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Veterans Affairs 

25 shall consider entering into contracts or agreements, under 
50 

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1 sections 513 and 8153 of title 38, United States Code, with 

2 eligible entities to collaborate with the Secretary in the pro3 vision of case management services to covered veterans as 

4 part of the supported housing program carried out under 

5 section 8(o)(19) of the United States Housing Act of 1937 

6 (42 U.S.C. 1437f(o)(19)) to ensure that the homeless vet7 erans facing the most significant difficulties in obtaining 

8 suitable housing receive the assistance they require to obtain 

9 such housing. 

10 (b) COVERED VETERANS.—For purposes of this sec11 tion, a covered veteran is any veteran who, at the time of 

12 receipt of a housing voucher under such section 8(o)(19)— 

13 (1) requires the assistance of a case manager in 

14 obtaining suitable housing with such voucher; and 

15 (2) is having difficulty obtaining the amount of 

16 such assistance the veteran requires, including be17 cause— 

18 (A) the veteran resides in an area that has 

19 a shortage of low-income housing and because of 

20 such shortage the veteran requires more assist21 ance from a case manager than the Secretary 

22 otherwise provides; 

23 (B) the location in which the veteran resides 

24 is located at such distance from facilities of the 

25 Department of Veterans Affairs as makes the 
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1 provision of case management services by the 

2 Secretary to such veteran impractical; or 

3 (C) the veteran resides in an area where 

4 veterans who receive case management services 

5 from the Secretary under such section have a sig6 nificantly lower average rate of successfully ob7 taining suitable housing than the average rate of 

8 successfully obtaining suitable housing for all 

9 veterans receiving such services. 

10 (c) ELIGIBLE ENTITIES.—For purposes of this section, 

11 an eligible entity is any State or local government agency, 

12 tribal organization (as such term is defined in section 4 

13 of the Indian Self Determination and Education Assistance 

14 Act (25 U.S.C. 450b)), or nonprofit organization that— 

15 (1) under a contract or agreement described in 

16 subsection (a), agrees— 

17 (A) to ensure access to case management 

18 services by covered veterans on an as-needed 

19 basis; 

20 (B) to maintain referral networks for cov21 ered veterans for purposes of assisting covered 

22 veterans in demonstrating eligibility for assist23 ance and additional services under entitlement 

24 and assistance programs available for covered 
52 

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1 veterans, and to otherwise aid covered veterans 

2 in obtaining such assistance and services; 

3 (C) to ensure the confidentiality of records 

4 maintained by the entity on covered veterans re5 ceiving services through the supported housing 

6 program described in subsection (a); 

7 (D) to establish such procedures for fiscal 

8 control and fund accounting as the Secretary of 

9 Veterans Affairs considers appropriate to ensure 

10 proper disbursement and accounting of funds 

11 under a contract or agreement entered into by 

12 the entity as described in subsection (a); 

13 (E) to submit to the Secretary each year, in 

14 such form and such manner as the Secretary 

15 may require, a report on the collaboration un16 dertaken by the entity under a contract or agree17 ment described in such subsection during the 

18 most recent fiscal year, including a description 

19 of, for the year covered by the report— 

20 (i) the services and assistance provided 

21 to covered veterans as part of such collabo22 ration; 

23 (ii) the process by which covered vet24 erans were referred to the entity for such 

25 services and assistance; 
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1 (iii) the specific goals jointly set by the 

2 entity and the Secretary for the provision of 

3 such services and assistance and whether the 

4 entity achieved such goals; and 

5 (iv) the average length of time taken by 

6 a covered veteran who received such services 

7 and assistance to successfully obtain suit8 able housing and the average retention rate 

9 of such a veteran in such housing; and 

10 (F) to meet such other requirements as the 

11 Secretary considers appropriate for purposes of 

12 providing assistance to covered veterans in ob13 taining suitable housing; and 

14 (2) has demonstrated experience in— 

15 (A) identifying and serving homeless vet16 erans, especially those who have the greatest dif17 ficulty obtaining suitable housing; 

18 (B) working collaboratively with the De19 partment of Veterans Affairs or the Department 

20 of Housing and Urban Development; 

21 (C) conducting outreach to, and maintain22 ing relationships with, landlords to encourage 

23 and facilitate participation by landlords in sup24 ported housing programs similar to the sup-
54 

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1 ported housing program described in subsection 

2 (a); 

3 (D) mediating disputes between landlords 

4 and veterans receiving assistance under such 

5 supported housing program; and 

6 (E) carrying out such other activities as the 

7 Secretary of Veterans Affairs considers appro8 priate. 

9 (d) CONSULTATION.—In considering entering into con10 tracts or agreements as described in subsection (a), the Sec11 retary of Veterans Affairs shall consult with— 

12 (1) the Secretary of Housing and Urban Devel13 opment; and 

14 (2) third parties that provide services as part of 

15 the Department of Housing and Urban Development 

16 continuum of care. 

17 (e) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE FOR COLLABORATING EN18 TITIES.— 

19 (1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary may provide 

20 training and technical assistance to entities with 

21 whom the Secretary collaborates in the provision of 

22 case management services to veterans as part of the 

23 supported housing program described in subsection 

24 (a). 
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1 (2) GRANTS.—The Secretary may provide train2 ing and technical assistance under paragraph (1) 

3 through the award of grants or contracts to appro4 priate public and nonprofit private entities. 

5 (3) FUNDING.—From amounts appropriated or 

6 otherwise made available to the Secretary in the Med7 ical Services account in a year, $500,000 shall be 

8 available to the Secretary in that year to carry out 

9 this subsection. 

10 (f) ANNUAL REPORT.— 

11 (1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 545 days after 

12 the date of the enactment of this Act and not less fre13 quently than once each year thereafter, the Secretary 

14 of Veterans Affairs shall submit to Congress a report 

15 on the collaboration between the Secretary and eligi16 ble entities in the provision of case management serv17 ices as described in subsection (a) during the most re18 cently completed fiscal year. 

19 (2) ELEMENTS.—Each report required by para20 graph (1) shall include, for the period covered by the 

21 report, the following: 

22 (A) A discussion of each case in which a 

23 contract or agreement described in subsection (a) 

24 was considered by the Secretary, including a de25 scription of whether or not and why the Sec-
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1 retary chose or did not choose to enter into such 

2 contract or agreement. 

3 (B) The number and types of eligible enti4 ties with whom the Secretary has entered into a 

5 contract or agreement as described in subsection 

6 (a). 

7 (C) A description of the geographic regions 

8 in which such entities provide case management 

9 services as described in such subsection. 

10 (D) A description of the number and types 

11 of covered veterans who received case manage12 ment services from such entities under such con13 tracts or agreements. 

14 (E) An assessment of the performance of 

15 each eligible entity with whom the Secretary en16 tered into a contract or agreement as described 

17 in subsection (a). 

18 (F) An assessment of the benefits to covered 

19 veterans of such contracts and agreements. 

20 (G) A discussion of the benefits of increas21 ing the ratio of case managers to recipients of 

22 vouchers under the supported housing program 

23 described in such subsection to veterans who re24 side in rural areas. 
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1 (H) Such recommendations for legislative or 

2 administrative action as the Secretary considers 

3 appropriate for the improvement of collaboration 

4 in the provision of case management services 

5 under such supported housing program. 

6 SEC. 305. EXTENSIONS OF PREVIOUSLY FULLY FUNDED AU7 THORITIES AFFECTING HOMELESS VET8 ERANS. 

9 (a) COMPREHENSIVE SERVICE PROGRAMS.—Section 

10 2013 is amended by striking paragraph (5) and inserting 

11 the following new paragraphs: 

12 ‘‘(5) $250,000,000 for fiscal year 2013. 

13 ‘‘(6) $150,000,000 for fiscal year 2014 and each 

14 subsequent fiscal year.’’. 

15 (b) HOMELESS VETERANS REINTEGRATION PRO16 GRAMS.—Section 2021(e)(1)(F) is amended by striking 

17 ‘‘2012’’ and inserting ‘‘2013’’. 

18 (c) FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FOR SUPPORTIVE SERV19 ICES FOR VERY LOW-INCOME VETERAN FAMILIES IN PER20 MANENT HOUSING.—Section 2044(e)(1) is amended by add21 ing at the end the following new subparagraph: 

22 ‘‘(E) $300,000,000 for fiscal year 2013.’’. 

23 (d) GRANT PROGRAM FOR HOMELESS VETERANS

24 WITH SPECIAL NEEDS.—Section 2061(c)(1) is amended by 

25 striking ‘‘through 2012’’ and inserting ‘‘through 2013’’. 
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1 TITLE IV—EDUCATION MATTERS 

2 SEC. 401. AGGREGATE AMOUNT OF EDUCATIONAL ASSIST3 ANCE AVAILABLE TO INDIVIDUALS WHO RE4 CEIVE BOTH SURVIVORS’ AND DEPENDENTS’ 

5 EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE AND OTHER VET6 ERANS AND RELATED EDUCATIONAL ASSIST7 ANCE. 

8 (a) AGGREGATE AMOUNT AVAILABLE.—Section 3695 

9 is amended— 

10 (1) in subsection (a)(4), by striking ‘‘35,’’; and 

11 (2) by adding at the end the following new sub12 section: 

13 ‘‘(c) The aggregate period for which any person may 

14 receive assistance under chapter 35 of this title, on the one 

15 hand, and any of the provisions of law referred to in sub16 section (a), on the other hand, may not exceed 81 months 

17 (or the part-time equivalent thereof).’’. 

18 (b) APPLICABILITY.—The amendment made by sub19 section (a) shall take effect on October 1, 2013, and shall 

20 not operate to revive any entitlement to assistance under 

21 chapter 35 of title 38, United States Code, or the provisions 

22 of law referred to in section 3695(a) of such title, as in 

23 effect on the day before such date, that was terminated by 

24 reason of the operation of section 3695(a) of such title, as 

25 so in effect, before such date. 
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1 (c) REVIVAL OF ENTITLEMENT REDUCED BY PRIOR

2 UTILIZATION OF CHAPTER 35 ASSISTANCE.— 

3 (1) IN GENERAL.—Subject to paragraph (2), in 

4 the case of an individual whose period of entitlement 

5 to assistance under a provision of law referred to in 

6 section 3695(a) of title 38, United States Code (other 

7 than chapter 35 of such title), as in effect on Sep8 tember 30, 2013, was reduced under such section 

9 3695(a), as so in effect, by reason of the utilization 

10 of entitlement to assistance under chapter 35 of such 

11 title before October 1, 2013, the period of entitlement 

12 to assistance of such individual under such provision 

13 shall be determined without regard to any entitlement 

14 so utilized by the individual under chapter 35 of such 

15 title. 

16 (2) LIMITATION.—The maximum period of enti17 tlement to assistance of an individual under para18 graph (1) may not exceed 81 months. 

19 SEC. 402. ANNUAL REPORTS ON POST-9/11 EDUCATIONAL 

20 ASSISTANCE PROGRAM AND SURVIVORS’ AND 

21 DEPENDENTS’ EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE 

22 PROGRAM. 

23 (a) REPORTS REQUIRED.— 
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1 (1) IN GENERAL.—Subchapter III of chapter 33 

2 is amended by adding at the end the following new 

3 section: 

4 ‘‘§ 3325. Reporting requirement 

5 ‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—For each academic year— 

6 ‘‘(1) the Secretary of Defense shall submit to 

7 Congress a report on the operation of the program 

8 provided for in this chapter; and 

9 ‘‘(2) the Secretary shall submit to Congress a re10 port on the operation of the program provided for in 

11 this chapter and the program provided for under 

12 chapter 35 of this title. 

13 ‘‘(b) CONTENTS OF SECRETARY OF DEFENSE RE14 PORTS.—The Secretary of Defense shall include in each re15 port submitted under this section— 

16 ‘‘(1) information— 

17 ‘‘(A) indicating the extent to which the ben18 efit levels provided under this chapter are ade19 quate to achieve the purposes of inducing indi20 viduals to enter and remain in the Armed Forces 

21 and of providing an adequate level of financial 

22 assistance to help meet the cost of pursuing a 

23 program of education; 

24 ‘‘(B) indicating whether it is necessary for 

25 the purposes of maintaining adequate levels of 
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1 well-qualified active-duty personnel in the 

2 Armed Forces to continue to offer the oppor3 tunity for educational assistance under this 

4 chapter to individuals who have not yet entered 

5 active-duty service; and 

6 ‘‘(C) describing the efforts under section 

7 3323(b) of this title to inform members of the 

8 Armed Forces of the active duty service require9 ments for entitlement to educational assistance 

10 under this chapter and the results from such ef11 forts; and 

12 ‘‘(2) such recommendations for administrative 

13 and legislative changes regarding the provision of 

14 educational assistance to members of the Armed 

15 Forces and veterans, and their dependents, as the Sec16 retary of Defense considers appropriate. 

17 ‘‘(c) CONTENTS OF SECRETARY OF VETERANS AFFAIRS

18 REPORTS.—The Secretary shall include in each report sub19 mitted under this section— 

20 ‘‘(1) information concerning the level of utiliza21 tion of educational assistance and of expenditures 

22 under this chapter and under chapter 35 of this title; 

23 ‘‘(2) appropriate student outcome measures, such 

24 as the number of credit hours, certificates, degrees, 

25 and other qualifications earned by beneficiaries under 
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1 this chapter and chapter 35 of this title during the 

2 academic year covered by the report; and 

3 ‘‘(3) such recommendations for administrative 

4 and legislative changes regarding the provision of 

5 educational assistance to members of the Armed 

6 Forces and veterans, and their dependents, as the Sec7 retary considers appropriate. 

8 ‘‘(d) TERMINATION.—No report shall be required under 

9 this section after January 1, 2021.’’. 

10 (2) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sec11 tions at the beginning of such chapter is amended by 

12 inserting after the item relating to section 3324 the 

13 following new item: 

‘‘3325. Reporting requirement.’’. 

14 (3) DEADLINE FOR SUBMITTAL OF FIRST RE15 PORT.—The first reports required under section 3325 

16 of title 38, United States Code, as added by para17 graph (1), shall be submitted by not later than No18 vember 1, 2013. 

19 (b) REPEAL OF REPORT ON ALL VOLUNTEER-FORCE

20 EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.— 

21 (1) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 30 is amended by 

22 striking section 3036. 

23 (2) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sec24 tions at the beginning of such chapter is amended by 

25 striking the item relating to section 3036. 
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1 TITLE V—BENEFITS MATTERS 

2 SEC. 501. AUTOMATIC WAIVER OF AGENCY OF ORIGINAL JU3 RISDICTION REVIEW OF NEW EVIDENCE. 

4 (a) IN GENERAL.—Section 7105 is amended by adding 

5 at the end the following new subsection: 

6 ‘‘(e)(1) If, either at the time or after the agency of 

7 original jurisdiction receives a substantive appeal, the 

8 claimant or the claimant’s representative, if any, submits 

9 evidence to either the agency of original jurisdiction or the 

10 Board of Veterans’ Appeals for consideration in connection 

11 with the issue or issues with which disagreement has been 

12 expressed, such evidence shall be subject to initial review 

13 by the Board unless the claimant or the claimant’s rep14 resentative, as the case may be, requests in writing that 

15 the agency of original jurisdiction initially review such evi16 dence. 

17 ‘‘(2) A request for review of evidence under paragraph 

18 (1) shall accompany the submittal of the evidence.’’. 

19 (b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—Subsection (e) of such section, 

20 as added by subsection (a), shall take effect on the date that 

21 is 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, and 

22 shall apply with respect to claims for which a substantive 

23 appeal is filed on or after the date that is 180 days after 

24 the date of the enactment of this Act. 
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1 SEC. 502. AUTHORITY FOR CERTAIN PERSONS TO SIGN 

2 CLAIMS FILED WITH SECRETARY OF VET3 ERANS AFFAIRS ON BEHALF OF CLAIMANTS. 

4 (a) IN GENERAL.—Section 5101 is amended— 

5 (1) in subsection (a)— 

6 (A) by striking ‘‘A specific’’ and inserting 

7 ‘‘(1) A specific’’; and 

8 (B) by adding at the end the following new 

9 paragraph: 

10 ‘‘(2) If an individual has not attained the age of 18 

11 years, is mentally incompetent, or is physically unable to 

12 sign a form, a form filed under paragraph (1) for the indi13 vidual may be signed by a court-appointed representative, 

14 a person who is responsible for the care of the individual, 

15 including a spouse or other relative, or an attorney in fact 

16 or agent authorized to act on behalf of the individual under 

17 a durable power of attorney. If the individual is in the care 

18 of an institution, the manager or principal officer of the 

19 institution may sign the form.’’; 

20 (2) in subsection (c)— 

21 (A) in paragraph (1)— 

22 (i) by inserting ‘‘, signs a form on be23 half of an individual to apply for,’’ after 

24 ‘‘who applies for’’; 
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1 (ii) by inserting ‘‘, or TIN in the case 

2 that the person is not an individual,’’ after 

3 ‘‘of such person’’; and 

4 (iii) by striking ‘‘dependent’’ and in5 serting ‘‘claimant, dependent,’’; and 

6 (B) in paragraph (2), by inserting ‘‘or 

7 TIN’’ after ‘‘social security number’’ each place 

8 it appears; and 

9 (3) by adding at the end the following new sub10 section: 

11 ‘‘(d) In this section: 

12 ‘‘(1) The term ‘mentally incompetent’ with re13 spect to an individual means that the individual 

14 lacks the mental capacity— 

15 ‘‘(A) to provide substantially accurate infor16 mation needed to complete a form; or 

17 ‘‘(B) to certify that the statements made on 

18 a form are true and complete. 

19 ‘‘(2) The term ‘TIN’ has the meaning given the 

20 term in section 7701(a)(41) of the Internal Revenue 

21 Code of 1986.’’. 

22 (b) APPLICABILITY.—The amendments made by sub23 section (a) shall apply with respect to claims filed on or 

24 after the date of the enactment of this Act. 
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1 SEC. 503. IMPROVEMENT OF PROCESS FOR FILING JOINTLY 

2 FOR SOCIAL SECURITY AND DEPENDENCY 

3 AND INDEMNITY COMPENSATION. 

4 Section 5105 is amended— 

5 (1) in subsection (a)— 

6 (A) by striking ‘‘shall’’ the first place it ap7 pears and inserting ‘‘may’’; and 

8 (B) by striking ‘‘Each such form’’ and in9 serting ‘‘Such forms’’; and 

10 (2) in subsection (b), by striking ‘‘on such a 

11 form’’ and inserting ‘‘on any document indicating an 

12 intent to apply for survivor benefits’’. 

13 SEC. 504. AUTHORIZATION OF USE OF ELECTRONIC COM14 MUNICATION TO PROVIDE NOTICE TO CLAIM15 ANTS FOR BENEFITS UNDER LAWS ADMINIS16 TERED BY THE SECRETARY OF VETERANS AF17 FAIRS. 

18 (a) IN GENERAL.—Section 5103 is amended— 

19 (1) in subsection (a)(1)— 

20 (A) by striking ‘‘Upon receipt of a complete 

21 or substantially complete application, the’’ and 

22 inserting ‘‘The’’; 

23 (B) by striking ‘‘notify’’ and inserting 

24 ‘‘provide to’’; and 

25 (C) by inserting ‘‘by the most effective 

26 means available, including electronic commu-
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1 nication or notification in writing, notice’’ be2 fore ‘‘of any information’’; and 

3 (2) in subsection (b), by adding at the end the 

4 following new paragraphs: 

5 ‘‘(4) Nothing in this section shall require the Secretary 

6 to provide notice for a subsequent claim that is filed while 

7 a previous claim is pending if the notice previously pro8 vided for such pending claim— 

9 ‘‘(A) provides sufficient notice of the information 

10 and evidence necessary to substantiate such subse11 quent claim; and 

12 ‘‘(B) was sent within one year of the date on 

13 which the subsequent claim was filed. 

14 ‘‘(5)(A) This section shall not apply to any claim or 

15 issue where the Secretary may award the maximum benefit 

16 in accordance with this title based on the evidence of record. 

17 ‘‘(B) For purposes of this paragraph, the term ‘max18 imum benefit’ means the highest evaluation assignable in 

19 accordance with the evidence of record, as long as such evi20 dence is adequate for rating purposes and sufficient to 

21 grant the earliest possible effective date in accordance with 

22 section 5110 of this title.’’. 

23 (b) CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in the amendments 

24 made by subsection (a) shall be construed as eliminating 

25 any requirement with respect to the contents of a notice 
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1 under section 5103 of title 38, United States Code, that is 

2 required under regulations prescribed pursuant to sub3 section (a)(2) of such section as of the date of the enactment 

4 of this Act. 

5 (c) EFFECTIVE DATE.— 

6 (1) IN GENERAL.—The amendments made by 

7 subsection (a) shall take effect on the date that is 180 

8 days after the date of the enactment of this Act and 

9 shall apply with respect to notification obligations of 

10 the Secretary of Veterans Affairs on or after such 

11 date. 

12 (2) CONSTRUCTION REGARDING APPLICA13 BILITY.—Nothing in this section or the amendments 

14 made by this section shall be construed to require the 

15 Secretary to carry out notification procedures in ac16 cordance with requirements of section 5103 of title 38, 

17 United States Code, as in effect on the day before the 

18 effective date established in paragraph (1) on or after 

19 such effective date. 

20 SEC. 505. DUTY TO ASSIST CLAIMANTS IN OBTAINING PRI21 VATE RECORDS. 

22 (a) IN GENERAL.—Subsection (b) of section 5103A is 

23 amended to read as follows: 

24 ‘‘(b) ASSISTANCE IN OBTAINING PRIVATE RECORDS.— 

25 (1) As part of the assistance provided under subsection (a), 
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1 the Secretary shall make reasonable efforts to obtain rel2 evant private records that the claimant adequately identi3 fies to the Secretary. 

4 ‘‘(2)(A) Whenever the Secretary, after making such 

5 reasonable efforts, is unable to obtain all of the relevant 

6 records sought, the Secretary shall notify the claimant that 

7 the Secretary is unable to obtain records with respect to 

8 the claim. Such a notification shall— 

9 ‘‘(i) identify the records the Secretary is unable 

10 to obtain; 

11 ‘‘(ii) briefly explain the efforts that the Secretary 

12 made to obtain such records; and 

13 ‘‘(iii) explain that the Secretary will decide the 

14 claim based on the evidence of record but that this 

15 section does not prohibit the submission of records at 

16 a later date if such submission is otherwise allowed. 

17 ‘‘(B) The Secretary shall make not less than two re18 quests to a custodian of a private record in order for an 

19 effort to obtain relevant private records to be treated as rea20 sonable under this section, unless it is made evident by the 

21 first request that a second request would be futile in obtain22 ing such records. 

23 ‘‘(3)(A) This section shall not apply if the evidence of 

24 record allows for the Secretary to award the maximum ben-
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1 efit in accordance with this title based on the evidence of 

2 record. 

3 ‘‘(B) For purposes of this paragraph, the term ‘max4 imum benefit’ means the highest evaluation assignable in 

5 accordance with the evidence of record, as long as such evi6 dence is adequate for rating purposes and sufficient to 

7 grant the earliest possible effective date in accordance with 

8 section 5110 of this title. 

9 ‘‘(4) Under regulations prescribed by the Secretary, the 

10 Secretary— 

11 ‘‘(A) shall encourage claimants to submit rel12 evant private medical records of the claimant to the 

13 Secretary if such submission does not burden the 

14 claimant; and 

15 ‘‘(B) in obtaining relevant private records under 

16 paragraph (1), may require the claimant to authorize 

17 the Secretary to obtain such records if such authoriza18 tion is required to comply with Federal, State, or 

19 local law.’’. 

20 (b) PUBLIC RECORDS.—Subsection (c) of such section 

21 is amended to read as follows: 

22 ‘‘(c) OBTAINING RECORDS FOR COMPENSATION

23 CLAIMS.—(1) In the case of a claim for disability com24 pensation, the assistance provided by the Secretary under 
71 

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1 this section shall include obtaining the following records if 

2 relevant to the claim: 

3 ‘‘(A) The claimant’s service medical records and, 

4 if the claimant has furnished the Secretary informa5 tion sufficient to locate such records, other relevant 

6 records pertaining to the claimant’s active military, 

7 naval, or air service that are held or maintained by 

8 a governmental entity. 

9 ‘‘(B) Records of relevant medical treatment or 

10 examination of the claimant at Department health11 care facilities or at the expense of the Department, if 

12 the claimant furnishes information sufficient to locate 

13 those records. 

14 ‘‘(C) Any other relevant records held by any Fed15 eral department or agency that the claimant ade16 quately identifies and authorizes the Secretary to ob17 tain. 

18 ‘‘(2) Whenever the Secretary attempts to obtain records 

19 from a Federal department or agency under this subsection, 

20 the efforts to obtain those records shall continue until the 

21 records are obtained unless it is reasonably certain that 

22 such records do not exist or that further efforts to obtain 

23 those records would be futile.’’. 

24 (c) EFFECTIVE DATE.— 
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1 (1) IN GENERAL.—The amendments made by 

2 subsections (a) and (b) shall take effect on the date 

3 that is 180 days after the date of the enactment of 

4 this Act and shall apply with respect to assistance ob5 ligations of the Secretary of Veterans Affairs on or 

6 after such date. 

7 (2) CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in this section or 

8 the amendments made by this section shall be con9 strued to require the Secretary to carry out assistance 

10 in accordance with requirements of section 5103A of 

11 title 38, United States Code, as in effect on the day 

12 before the effective date established in paragraph (1) 

13 on or after such effective date. 

14 SEC. 506. AUTHORITY FOR RETROACTIVE EFFECTIVE DATE 

15 FOR AWARDS OF DISABILITY COMPENSATION 

16 IN CONNECTION WITH APPLICATIONS THAT 

17 ARE FULLY-DEVELOPED AT SUBMITTAL. 

18 Section 5110(b) is amended— 

19 (1) by redesignating paragraphs (2) and (3) as 

20 paragraphs (3) and (4), respectively; and 

21 (2) by inserting after paragraph (1) the fol22 lowing new paragraph (2): 

23 ‘‘(2)(A) The effective date of an award of disability 

24 compensation to a veteran who submits an application 

25 therefor that sets forth an original claim that is fully-devel-
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1 oped (as determined by the Secretary) as of the date of sub2 mittal shall be fixed in accordance with the facts found, 

3 but shall not be earlier than the date that is one year before 

4 the date of receipt of the application. 

5 ‘‘(B) For purposes of this paragraph, an original 

6 claim is an initial claim filed by a veteran for disability 

7 compensation. 

8 ‘‘(C) This paragraph shall take effect on the date that 

9 is one year after the date of the enactment of the Honoring 

10 America’s Veterans and Caring for Camp Lejeune Families 

11 Act of 2012 and shall not apply with respect to claims filed 

12 after the date that is three years after the date of the enact13 ment of such Act.’’. 

14 SEC. 507. MODIFICATION OF MONTH OF DEATH BENEFIT 

15 FOR SURVIVING SPOUSES OF VETERANS WHO 

16 DIE WHILE ENTITLED TO COMPENSATION OR 

17 PENSION. 

18 (a) SURVIVING SPOUSE BENEFIT FOR MONTH OF VET19 ERAN’S DEATH.—Subsections (a) and (b) of section 5310 

20 are amended to read as follows: 

21 ‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—(1) A surviving spouse of a vet22 eran is entitled to a benefit for the month of the veteran’s 

23 death if— 
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1 ‘‘(A) at the time of the veteran’s death, the vet2 eran was receiving compensation or pension under 

3 chapter 11 or 15 of this title; or 

4 ‘‘(B) the veteran is determined for purposes of 

5 section 5121 or 5121A of this title as having been en6 titled to receive compensation or pension under chap7 ter 11 or 15 of this title for the month of the veteran’s 

8 death. 

9 ‘‘(2) The amount of the benefit under paragraph (1) 

10 is the amount that the veteran would have received under 

11 chapter 11 or 15 of this title, as the case may be, for the 

12 month of the veteran’s death had the veteran not died. 

13 ‘‘(b) CLAIMS PENDING ADJUDICATION.—If a claim for 

14 entitlement to compensation or additional compensation 

15 under chapter 11 of this title or pension or additional pen16 sion under chapter 15 of this title is pending at the time 

17 of a veteran’s death and the check or other payment issued 

18 to the veteran’s surviving spouse under subsection (a) is less 

19 than the amount of the benefit the veteran would have been 

20 entitled to for the month of death pursuant to the adjudica21 tion of the pending claim, an amount equal to the difference 

22 between the amount to which the veteran would have been 

23 entitled to receive under chapter 11 or 15 of this title for 

24 the month of the veteran’s death had the veteran not died 

25 and the amount of the check or other payment issued to 
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1 the surviving spouse shall be treated in the same manner 

2 as an accrued benefit under section 5121 of this title.’’. 

3 (b) MONTH OF DEATH BENEFIT EXEMPT FROM DE4 LAYED COMMENCEMENT OF PAYMENT.—Section 5111(c)(1) 

5 is amended by striking ‘‘apply to’’ and all that follows 

6 through ‘‘death occurred’’ and inserting the following: ‘‘not 

7 apply to payments made pursuant to section 5310 of this 

8 title’’. 

9 (c) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by this 

10 section shall take effect on the date of the enactment of this 

11 Act, and shall apply with respect to deaths that occur on 

12 or after that date. 

13 SEC. 508. INCREASE IN RATE OF PENSION FOR DISABLED 

14 VETERANS MARRIED TO ONE ANOTHER AND 

15 BOTH OF WHOM REQUIRE REGULAR AID AND 

16 ATTENDANCE. 

17 (a) IN GENERAL.—Section 1521(f)(2) is amended by 

18 striking ‘‘$30,480’’ and inserting ‘‘$32,433’’. 

19 (b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendment made by sub20 section (a) shall take effect on the date of the enactment 

21 of this Act. 
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1 SEC. 509. EXCLUSION OF CERTAIN REIMBURSEMENTS OF 

2 EXPENSES FROM DETERMINATION OF AN3 NUAL INCOME WITH RESPECT TO PENSIONS 

4 FOR VETERANS AND SURVIVING SPOUSES 

5 AND CHILDREN OF VETERANS. 

6 (a) IN GENERAL.—Paragraph (5) of section 1503(a) 

7 of title 38, United States Code, is amended to read as fol8 lows: 

9 ‘‘(5) payments regarding reimbursements of any 

10 kind (including insurance settlement payments) for 

11 expenses related to the repayment, replacement, or re12 pair of equipment, vehicles, items, money, or property 

13 resulting from— 

14 ‘‘(A) any accident (as defined by the Sec15 retary), but the amount excluded under this sub16 clause shall not exceed the greater of the fair 

17 market value or reasonable replacement value of 

18 the equipment or vehicle involved at the time im19 mediately preceding the accident; 

20 ‘‘(B) any theft or loss (as defined by the 

21 Secretary), but the amount excluded under this 

22 subclause shall not exceed the greater of the fair 

23 market value or reasonable replacement value of 

24 the item or the amount of the money (including 

25 legal tender of the United States or of a foreign 
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1 country) involved at the time immediately pre2 ceding the theft or loss; or 

3 ‘‘(C) any casualty loss (as defined by the 

4 Secretary), but the amount excluded under this 

5 subclause shall not exceed the greater of the fair 

6 market value or reasonable replacement value of 

7 the property involved at the time immediately 

8 preceding the casualty loss;’’. 

9 (b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendment made by sub10 section (a) shall take effect on the date that is 180 days 

11 after the date of the enactment of this Act. 

12 TITLE VI—MEMORIAL, BURIAL, 

13 AND CEMETERY MATTERS 

14 SEC. 601. PROHIBITION ON DISRUPTIONS OF FUNERALS OF 

15 MEMBERS OR FORMER MEMBERS OF THE 

16 ARMED FORCES. 

17 (a) PURPOSE AND AUTHORITY.— 

18 (1) PURPOSE.—The purpose of this section is to 

19 provide necessary and proper support for the recruit20 ment and retention of the Armed Forces and militia 

21 employed in the service of the United States by pro22 tecting the dignity of the service of the members of 

23 such Forces and militia, and by protecting the pri24 vacy of their immediate family members and other 

25 attendees during funeral services for such members. 
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1 (2) CONSTITUTIONAL AUTHORITY.—Congress 

2 finds that this section is a necessary and proper exer3 cise of its powers under the Constitution, article I, 

4 section 8, paragraphs 1, 12, 13, 14, 16, and 18, to 

5 provide for the common defense, raise and support ar6 mies, provide and maintain a navy, make rules for 

7 the government and regulation of the land and naval 

8 forces, and provide for organizing and governing such 

9 part of the militia as may be employed in the service 

10 of the United States. 

11 (b) AMENDMENT TO TITLE 18.—Section 1388 of title 

12 18, United States Code, is amended to read as follows: 

13 ‘‘§ 1388. Prohibition on disruptions of funerals of 

14 members or former members of the Armed 

15 Forces 

16 ‘‘(a) PROHIBITION.—For any funeral of a member or 

17 former member of the Armed Forces that is not located at 

18 a cemetery under the control of the National Cemetery Ad19 ministration or part of Arlington National Cemetery, it 

20 shall be unlawful for any person to engage in an activity 

21 during the period beginning 120 minutes before and ending 

22 120 minutes after such funeral, any part of which activ23 ity— 
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1 ‘‘(1)(A) takes place within the boundaries of the 

2 location of such funeral or takes place within 300 feet 

3 of the point of the intersection between— 

4 ‘‘(i) the boundary of the location of such fu5 neral; and 

6 ‘‘(ii) a road, pathway, or other route of in7 gress to or egress from the location of such fu8 neral; and 

9 ‘‘(B) includes any individual willfully making 

10 or assisting in the making of any noise or diver11 sion— 

12 ‘‘(i) that is not part of such funeral and 

13 that disturbs or tends to disturb the peace or 

14 good order of such funeral; and 

15 ‘‘(ii) with the intent of disturbing the peace 

16 or good order of such funeral; 

17 ‘‘(2)(A) is within 500 feet of the boundary of the 

18 location of such funeral; and 

19 ‘‘(B) includes any individual— 

20 ‘‘(i) willfully and without proper authoriza21 tion impeding or tending to impede the access to 

22 or egress from such location; and 

23 ‘‘(ii) with the intent to impede the access to 

24 or egress from such location; or 
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1 ‘‘(3) is on or near the boundary of the residence, 

2 home, or domicile of any surviving member of the de3 ceased person’s immediate family and includes any 

4 individual willfully making or assisting in the mak5 ing of any noise or diversion— 

6 ‘‘(A) that disturbs or tends to disturb the 

7 peace of the persons located at such location; and 

8 ‘‘(B) with the intent of disturbing such 

9 peace. 

10 ‘‘(b) PENALTY.—Any person who violates subsection 

11 (a) shall be fined under this title or imprisoned for not more 

12 than 1 year, or both. 

13 ‘‘(c) CIVIL REMEDIES.— 

14 ‘‘(1) DISTRICT COURTS.—The district courts of 

15 the United States shall have jurisdiction— 

16 ‘‘(A) to prevent and restrain violations of 

17 this section; and 

18 ‘‘(B) for the adjudication of any claims for 

19 relief under this section. 

20 ‘‘(2) ATTORNEY GENERAL.—The Attorney Gen21 eral may institute proceedings under this section. 

22 ‘‘(3) CLAIMS.—Any person, including a sur23 viving member of the deceased person’s immediate 

24 family, who suffers injury as a result of conduct that 

25 violates this section may— 
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1 ‘‘(A) sue therefor in any appropriate 

2 United States district court or in any court of 

3 competent jurisdiction; and 

4 ‘‘(B) recover damages as provided in sub5 section (d) and the cost of the suit, including 

6 reasonable attorneys’ fees. 

7 ‘‘(4) ESTOPPEL.—A final judgment or decree 

8 rendered in favor of the United States in any crimi9 nal proceeding brought by the United States under 

10 this section shall estop the defendant from denying the 

11 essential allegations of the criminal offense in any 

12 subsequent civil proceeding brought by a person or by 

13 the United States. 

14 ‘‘(d) ACTUAL AND STATUTORY DAMAGES.— 

15 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—In addition to any penalty 

16 imposed under subsection (b), a violator of this sec17 tion is liable in an action under subsection (c) for ac18 tual or statutory damages as provided in this sub19 section. 

20 ‘‘(2) ACTIONS BY PRIVATE PERSONS.—A person 

21 bringing an action under subsection (c)(3) may elect, 

22 at any time before final judgment is rendered, to re23 cover the actual damages suffered by him or her as 

24 a result of the violation or, instead of actual damages, 
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1 an award of statutory damages for each violation in2 volved in the action. 

3 ‘‘(3) ACTIONS BY ATTORNEY GENERAL.—In any 

4 action under subsection (c)(2), the Attorney General 

5 is entitled to recover an award of statutory damages 

6 for each violation involved in the action notwith7 standing any recovery under subsection (c)(3). 

8 ‘‘(4) STATUTORY DAMAGES.—A court may 

9 award, as the court considers just, statutory damages 

10 in a sum of not less than $25,000 or more than 

11 $50,000 per violation. 

12 ‘‘(e) REBUTTABLE PRESUMPTION.—It shall be a rebut13 table presumption that the violation was committed will14 fully for purposes of determining relief under this section 

15 if the violator, or a person acting in concert with the viola16 tor, did not have reasonable grounds to believe, either from 

17 the attention or publicity sought by the violator or other 

18 circumstance, that the conduct of such violator or person 

19 would not disturb or tend to disturb the peace or good order 

20 of such funeral, impede or tend to impede the access to or 

21 egress from such funeral, or disturb or tend to disturb the 

22 peace of any surviving member of the deceased person’s im23 mediate family who may be found on or near the residence, 

24 home, or domicile of the deceased person’s immediate family 

25 on the date of the service or ceremony. 
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1 ‘‘(f) DEFINITIONS.—In this section— 

2 ‘‘(1) the term ‘Armed Forces’ has the meaning 

3 given the term in section 101 of title 10 and includes 

4 members and former members of the National Guard 

5 who were employed in the service of the United 

6 States; and 

7 ‘‘(2) the term ‘immediate family’ means, with re8 spect to a person, the immediate family members of 

9 such person, as such term is defined in section 115 

10 of this title.’’. 

11 (c) AMENDMENT TO TITLE 38.— 

12 (1) IN GENERAL.—Section 2413 is amended to 

13 read as follows: 

14 ‘‘§ 2413. Prohibition on certain demonstrations and 

15 disruptions at cemeteries under control of 

16 the National Cemetery Administration 

17 and at Arlington National Cemetery 

18 ‘‘(a) PROHIBITION.—It shall be unlawful for any per19 son— 

20 ‘‘(1) to carry out a demonstration on the prop21 erty of a cemetery under the control of the National 

22 Cemetery Administration or on the property of Ar23 lington National Cemetery unless the demonstration 

24 has been approved by the cemetery superintendent or 
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1 the director of the property on which the cemetery is 

2 located; or 

3 ‘‘(2) with respect to such a cemetery, to engage 

4 in a demonstration during the period beginning 120 

5 minutes before and ending 120 minutes after a fu6 neral, memorial service, or ceremony is held, any part 

7 of which demonstration— 

8 ‘‘(A)(i) takes place within the boundaries of 

9 such cemetery or takes place within 300 feet of 

10 the point of the intersection between— 

11 ‘‘(I) the boundary of such cemetery; 

12 and 

13 ‘‘(II) a road, pathway, or other route 

14 of ingress to or egress from such cemetery; 

15 and 

16 ‘‘(ii) includes any individual willfully mak17 ing or assisting in the making of any noise or 

18 diversion— 

19 ‘‘(I) that is not part of such funeral, 

20 memorial service, or ceremony and that dis21 turbs or tends to disturb the peace or good 

22 order of such funeral, memorial service, or 

23 ceremony; and 
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1 ‘‘(II) with the intent of disturbing the 

2 peace or good order of such funeral, memo3 rial service, or ceremony; or 

4 ‘‘(B)(i) is within 500 feet of the boundary 

5 of such cemetery; and 

6 ‘‘(ii) includes any individual— 

7 ‘‘(I) willfully and without proper au8 thorization impeding or tending to impede 

9 the access to or egress from such cemetery; 

10 and 

11 ‘‘(II) with the intent to impede the ac12 cess to or egress from such cemetery. 

13 ‘‘(b) PENALTY.—Any person who violates subsection 

14 (a) shall be fined under title 18 or imprisoned for not more 

15 than one year, or both. 

16 ‘‘(c) CIVIL REMEDIES.—(1) The district courts of the 

17 United States shall have jurisdiction— 

18 ‘‘(A) to prevent and restrain violations of this 

19 section; and 

20 ‘‘(B) for the adjudication of any claims for relief 

21 under this section. 

22 ‘‘(2) The Attorney General of the United States may 

23 institute proceedings under this section. 
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1 ‘‘(3) Any person, including a surviving member of the 

2 deceased person’s immediate family, who suffers injury as 

3 a result of conduct that violates this section may— 

4 ‘‘(A) sue therefor in any appropriate United 

5 States district court or in any court of competent ju6 risdiction; and 

7 ‘‘(B) recover damages as provided in subsection 

8 (d) and the cost of the suit, including reasonable at9 torneys’ fees. 

10 ‘‘(4) A final judgment or decree rendered in favor of 

11 the United States in any criminal proceeding brought by 

12 the United States under this section shall estop the defend13 ant from denying the essential allegations of the criminal 

14 offense in any subsequent civil proceeding brought by a per15 son or by the United States. 

16 ‘‘(d) ACTUAL AND STATUTORY DAMAGES.—(1) In ad17 dition to any penalty imposed under subsection (b), a viola18 tor of this section is liable in an action under subsection 

19 (c) for actual or statutory damages as provided in this sub20 section. 

21 ‘‘(2) A person bringing an action under subsection 

22 (c)(3) may elect, at any time before final judgment is ren23 dered, to recover the actual damages suffered by him or her 

24 as a result of the violation or, instead of actual damages, 
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1 an award of statutory damages for each violation involved 

2 in the action. 

3 ‘‘(3) In any action brought under subsection (c)(2), the 

4 Attorney General is entitled to recover an award of statu5 tory damages for each violation involved in the action not6 withstanding any recovery under subsection (c)(3). 

7 ‘‘(4) A court may award, as the court considers just, 

8 statutory damages in a sum of not less than $25,000 or 

9 more than $50,000 per violation. 

10 ‘‘(e) REBUTTABLE PRESUMPTION.—It shall be a rebut11 table presumption that the violation of subsection (a) was 

12 committed willfully for purposes of determining relief under 

13 this section if the violator, or a person acting in concert 

14 with the violator, did not have reasonable grounds to be15 lieve, either from the attention or publicity sought by the 

16 violator or other circumstance, that the conduct of such vio17 lator or person would not— 

18 ‘‘(1) disturb or tend to disturb the peace or good 

19 order of such funeral, memorial service, or ceremony; 

20 or 

21 ‘‘(2) impede or tend to impede the access to or 

22 egress from such funeral, memorial service, or cere23 mony. 

24 ‘‘(f) DEFINITIONS.—In this section— 

25 ‘‘(1) the term ‘demonstration’ includes— 
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1 ‘‘(A) any picketing or similar conduct; 

2 ‘‘(B) any oration, speech, use of sound am3 plification equipment or device, or similar con4 duct that is not part of a funeral, memorial serv5 ice, or ceremony; 

6 ‘‘(C) the display of any placard, banner, 

7 flag, or similar device, unless such a display is 

8 part of a funeral, memorial service, or ceremony; 

9 and 

10 ‘‘(D) the distribution of any handbill, pam11 phlet, leaflet, or other written or printed matter 

12 other than a program distributed as part of a fu13 neral, memorial service, or ceremony; and 

14 ‘‘(2) the term ‘immediate family’ means, with re15 spect to a person, the immediate family members of 

16 such person, as such term is defined in section 115 

17 of title 18.’’. 

18 (2) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sec19 tions at the beginning of chapter 24 is amended by 

20 striking the item relating to section 2413 and insert21 ing the following new item: 

‘‘2413. Prohibition on certain demonstrations and disruptions at cemeteries under 

control of the National Cemetery Administration and at Arlington National Cemetery.’’. 
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1 SEC. 602. CODIFICATION OF PROHIBITION AGAINST RES2 ERVATION OF GRAVESITES AT ARLINGTON 

3 NATIONAL CEMETERY. 

4 (a) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 24 is amended by insert5 ing after section 2410 the following new section: 

6 ‘‘§ 2410A. Arlington National Cemetery: other admin7 istrative matters 

8 ‘‘(a) ONE GRAVESITE.—(1) Not more than one 

9 gravesite may be provided at Arlington National Cemetery 

10 to a veteran or member of the Armed Forces who is eligible 

11 for interment or inurnment at such cemetery. 

12 ‘‘(2) The Secretary of the Army may waive the prohi13 bition in paragraph (1) as the Secretary of the Army con14 siders appropriate. 

15 ‘‘(b) PROHIBITION AGAINST RESERVATION OF

16 GRAVESITES.—(1) A gravesite at Arlington National Ceme17 tery may not be reserved for an individual before the death 

18 of such individual. 

19 ‘‘(2)(A) The President may waive the prohibition in 

20 paragraph (1) as the President considers appropriate. 

21 ‘‘(B) Upon waiving the prohibition in paragraph (1), 

22 the President shall submit notice of such waiver to— 

23 ‘‘(i) the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs and the 

24 Committee on Armed Services of the Senate; and 
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1 ‘‘(ii) the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs and the 

2 Committee on Armed Services of the House of Rep3 resentatives.’’. 

4 (b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections at 

5 the beginning of such chapter is amended by inserting after 

6 the item relating to section 2410 the following new item: 

‘‘2410A. Arlington National Cemetery: other administrative matters.’’. 

7 (c) APPLICABILITY.— 

8 (1) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in para9 graph (2), section 2410A of title 38, United States 

10 Code, as added by subsection (a), shall apply with re11 spect to all interments at Arlington National Ceme12 tery after the date of the enactment of this Act. 

13 (2) EXCEPTION.—Subsection (b) of such section, 

14 as so added, shall not apply with respect to the inter15 ment of an individual for whom a request for a re16 served gravesite was approved by the Secretary of the 

17 Army before January 1, 1962. 

18 (d) REPORT.— 

19 (1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days after 

20 the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of 

21 the Army shall submit to Congress a report on res22 ervations made for interment at Arlington National 

23 Cemetery. 

24 (2) ELEMENTS.—The report required by para25 graph (1) shall include the following: 
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1 (A) The number of requests for reservation 

2 of a gravesite at Arlington National Cemetery 

3 that were submitted to the Secretary of the Army 

4 before January 1, 1962. 

5 (B) The number of gravesites at such ceme6 tery that, on the day before the date of the enact7 ment of this Act, were reserved in response to 

8 such requests. 

9 (C) The number of such gravesites that, on 

10 the day before the date of the enactment of this 

11 Act, were unoccupied. 

12 (D) A list of all reservations for gravesites 

13 at such cemetery that were extended by individ14 uals responsible for management of such ceme15 tery in response to requests for such reservations 

16 made on or after January 1, 1962. 

17 (E) A description of the measures that the 

18 Secretary is taking to improve the accountability 

19 and transparency of the management of gravesite 

20 reservations at Arlington National Cemetery. 

21 (F) Such recommendations as the Secretary 

22 may have for legislative action as the Secretary 

23 considers necessary to improve such account24 ability and transparency. 
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1 SEC. 603. EXPANSION OF ELIGIBILITY FOR PRESIDENTIAL 

2 MEMORIAL CERTIFICATES TO PERSONS WHO 

3 DIED IN THE ACTIVE MILITARY, NAVAL, OR 

4 AIR SERVICE. 

5 Section 112(a) is amended— 

6 (1) by inserting ‘‘and persons who died in the 

7 active military, naval, or air service,’’ after ‘‘under 

8 honorable conditions,’’; and 

9 (2) by striking ‘‘veteran’s’’ and inserting ‘‘de10 ceased individual’s’’. 

11 SEC. 604. REQUIREMENTS FOR THE PLACEMENT OF MONU12 MENTS IN ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY. 

13 Section 2409(b) is amended— 

14 (1) by striking ‘‘Under’’ and inserting ‘‘(1) 

15 Under’’; 

16 (2) by inserting after ‘‘Secretary of the Army’’ 

17 the following: ‘‘and subject to paragraph (2)’’; and 

18 (3) by adding at the end the following new para19 graphs: 

20 ‘‘(2)(A) Except for a monument containing or mark21 ing interred remains, no monument (or similar structure, 

22 as determined by the Secretary of the Army in regulations) 

23 may be placed in Arlington National Cemetery except pur24 suant to the provisions of this subsection. 

25 ‘‘(B) A monument may be placed in Arlington Na26 tional Cemetery if the monument commemorates— 
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1 ‘‘(i) the service in the Armed Forces of the indi2 vidual, or group of individuals, whose memory is to 

3 be honored by the monument; or 

4 ‘‘(ii) a particular military event. 

5 ‘‘(C) No monument may be placed in Arlington Na6 tional Cemetery until the end of the 25-year period begin7 ning— 

8 ‘‘(i) in the case of the commemoration of service 

9 under subparagraph (B)(i), on the last day of the pe10 riod of service so commemorated; and 

11 ‘‘(ii) in the case of the commemoration of a par12 ticular military event under subparagraph (B)(ii), on 

13 the last day of the period of the event. 

14 ‘‘(D) A monument may be placed only in those sections 

15 of Arlington National Cemetery designated by the Secretary 

16 of the Army for such placement and only on land the Sec17 retary determines is not suitable for burial. 

18 ‘‘(E) A monument may only be placed in Arlington 

19 National Cemetery if an appropriate nongovernmental en20 tity has agreed to act as a sponsoring organization to co21 ordinate the placement of the monument and— 

22 ‘‘(i) the construction and placement of the monu23 ment are paid for only using funds from private 

24 sources; 
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1 ‘‘(ii) the Secretary of the Army consults with the 

2 Commission of Fine Arts and the Advisory Committee 

3 on Arlington National Cemetery before approving the 

4 design of the monument; and 

5 ‘‘(iii) the sponsoring organization provides for 

6 an independent study on the availability and suit7 ability of alternative locations for the proposed monu8 ment outside of Arlington National Cemetery. 

9 ‘‘(3)(A) The Secretary of the Army may waive the re10 quirement under paragraph (2)(C) in a case in which the 

11 monument would commemorate a group of individuals who 

12 the Secretary determines— 

13 ‘‘(i) has made valuable contributions to the 

14 Armed Forces that have been ongoing and perpetual 

15 for longer than 25 years and are expected to continue 

16 on indefinitely; and 

17 ‘‘(ii) has provided service that is of such a char18 acter that the failure to place a monument to the 

19 group in Arlington National Cemetery would present 

20 a manifest injustice. 

21 ‘‘(B) If the Secretary waives such requirement under 

22 subparagraph (A), the Secretary shall— 

23 ‘‘(i) make available on an Internet website noti24 fication of the waiver and the rationale for the waiv25 er; and 
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1 ‘‘(ii) submit to the Committee on Veterans’ Af2 fairs and the Committee on Armed Services of the 

3 Senate and the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs and 

4 the Committee on Armed Services of the House of 

5 Representatives written notice of the waiver and the 

6 rationale for the waiver. 

7 ‘‘(4) The Secretary of the Army shall provide notice 

8 to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs and the Committee 

9 on Armed Services of the Senate and the Committee on Vet10 erans’ Affairs and the Committee on Armed Services of the 

11 House of Representatives of any monument proposed to be 

12 placed in Arlington National Cemetery. During the 60-day 

13 period beginning on the date on which such notice is re14 ceived, Congress may pass a joint resolution of disapproval 

15 of the placement of the monument. The proposed monument 

16 may not be placed in Arlington National Cemetery until 

17 the later of— 

18 ‘‘(A) if Congress does not pass a joint resolution 

19 of disapproval of the placement of the monument, the 

20 date that is 60 days after the date on which notice 

21 is received under this paragraph; or 

22 ‘‘(B) if Congress passes a joint resolution of dis23 approval of the placement of the monument, and the 

24 President signs a veto of such resolution, the earlier 

25 of— 
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1 ‘‘(i) the date on which either House of Con2 gress votes and fails to override the veto of the 

3 President; or 

4 ‘‘(ii) the date that is 30 session days after 

5 the date on which Congress received the veto and 

6 objections of the President.’’. 

7 TITLE VII—OTHER MATTERS 

8 SEC. 701. ASSISTANCE TO VETERANS AFFECTED BY NAT9 URAL DISASTERS. 

10 (a) ADDITIONAL GRANTS FOR DISABLED VETERANS

11 FOR SPECIALLY ADAPTED HOUSING.— 

12 (1) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 21 is amended by 

13 adding at the end the following new section: 

14 ‘‘§ 2109. Specially adapted housing destroyed or dam15 aged by natural disasters 

16 ‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—Notwithstanding the provisions of 

17 section 2102 and 2102A of this title, the Secretary may pro18 vide assistance to a veteran whose home was previously 

19 adapted with assistance of a grant under this chapter in 

20 the event the adapted home which was being used and occu21 pied by the veteran was destroyed or substantially damaged 

22 in a natural or other disaster, as determined by the Sec23 retary. 

24 ‘‘(b) USE OF FUNDS.—Subject to subsection (c), assist25 ance provided under subsection (a) shall— 
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1 ‘‘(1) be available to acquire a suitable housing 

2 unit with special fixtures or moveable facilities made 

3 necessary by the veteran’s disability, and necessary 

4 land therefor; 

5 ‘‘(2) be available to a veteran to the same extent 

6 as if the veteran had not previously received assist7 ance under this chapter; and 

8 ‘‘(3) not be deducted from the maximum uses or 

9 from the maximum amount of assistance available 

10 under this chapter. 

11 ‘‘(c) LIMITATIONS.—The amount of the assistance pro12 vided under subsection (a) may not exceed the lesser of— 

13 ‘‘(1) the reasonable cost, as determined by the 

14 Secretary, of repairing or replacing the damaged or 

15 destroyed home in excess of the available insurance 

16 coverage on such home; or 

17 ‘‘(2) the maximum amount of assistance to 

18 which the veteran would have been entitled under sec19 tions 2101(a), 2101(b), and 2102A of this title had 

20 the veteran not obtained previous assistance under 

21 this chapter.’’. 

22 (2) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sec23 tions at the beginning of such chapter is amended by 

24 inserting after the item relating to section 2108 the 

25 following new item: 

‘‘2109. Specially adapted housing destroyed or damaged by natural disasters.’’. 
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1 (b) EXTENSION OF SUBSISTENCE ALLOWANCE FOR

2 VETERANS COMPLETING VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION

3 PROGRAM.—Section 3108(a)(2) is amended— 

4 (1) by inserting ‘‘(A)’’ before ‘‘In’’; and 

5 (2) by adding at the end the following new sub6 paragraph: 

7 ‘‘(B) In any case in which the Secretary determines 

8 that a veteran described in subparagraph (A) has been dis9 placed as the result of a natural or other disaster while 

10 being paid a subsistence allowance under that subpara11 graph, as determined by the Secretary, the Secretary may 

12 extend the payment of a subsistence allowance under such 

13 subparagraph for up to an additional two months while 

14 the veteran is satisfactorily following a program of employ15 ment services described in such subparagraph.’’. 

16 (c) WAIVER OF LIMITATION ON PROGRAM OF INDE17 PENDENT LIVING SERVICES AND ASSISTANCE.—Section 

18 3120(e) is amended— 

19 (1) by inserting ‘‘(1)’’ before ‘‘Programs’’; and 

20 (2) by adding at the end the following new para21 graph: 

22 ‘‘(2) The limitation in paragraph (1) shall not apply 

23 in any case in which the Secretary determines that a vet24 eran described in subsection (b) has been displaced as the 

25 result of, or has otherwise been adversely affected in the 
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1 areas covered by, a natural or other disaster, as determined 

2 by the Secretary.’’. 

3 (d) COVENANTS AND LIENS CREATED BY PUBLIC EN4 TITIES IN RESPONSE TO DISASTER-RELIEF ASSISTANCE.— 

5 Paragraph (3) of section 3703(d) is amended to read as 

6 follows: 

7 ‘‘(3)(A) Any real estate housing loan (other than for 

8 repairs, alterations, or improvements) shall be secured by 

9 a first lien on the realty. In determining whether a loan 

10 is so secured, the Secretary may either disregard or allow 

11 for subordination to a superior lien created by a duly re12 corded covenant running with the realty in favor of either 

13 of the following: 

14 ‘‘(i) A public entity that has provided or will 

15 provide assistance in response to a major disaster as 

16 determined by the President under the Robert T. Staf17 ford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act 

18 (42 U.S.C. 5121 et seq.). 

19 ‘‘(ii) A private entity to secure an obligation to 

20 such entity for the homeowner’s share of the costs of 

21 the management, operation, or maintenance of prop22 erty, services, or programs within and for the benefit 

23 of the development or community in which the vet24 eran’s realty is located, if the Secretary determines 

25 that the interests of the veteran borrower and of the 
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1 Government will not be prejudiced by the operation of 

2 such covenant. 

3 ‘‘(B) With respect to any superior lien described in 

4 subparagraph (A) created after June 6, 1969, the Sec5 retary’s determination under clause (ii) of such subpara6 graph shall have been made prior to the recordation of the 

7 covenant.’’. 

8 (e) AUTOMOBILES AND OTHER CONVEYANCES FOR

9 CERTAIN DISABLED VETERANS AND MEMBERS OF THE

10 ARMED FORCES.—Section 3903(a) is amended— 

11 (1) by striking ‘‘No’’ and inserting ‘‘(1) Except 

12 as provided in paragraph (2), no’’; and 

13 (2) by adding at the end the following new para14 graph: 

15 ‘‘(2) The Secretary may provide or assist in providing 

16 an eligible person with a second automobile or other convey17 ance under this chapter if— 

18 ‘‘(A) the Secretary receives satisfactory evidence 

19 that the automobile or other conveyance previously 

20 purchased with assistance under this chapter was de21 stroyed— 

22 ‘‘(i) as a result of a natural or other dis23 aster, as determined by the Secretary; and 

24 ‘‘(ii) through no fault of the eligible person; 

25 and 
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1 ‘‘(B) the eligible person does not otherwise receive 

2 from a property insurer compensation for the loss.’’. 

3 (f) ANNUAL REPORT.— 

4 (1) IN GENERAL.—Each year, the Secretary of 

5 Veterans Affairs shall submit to Congress a report on 

6 the assistance provided or action taken by the Sec7 retary in the last fiscal year pursuant to the authori8 ties added by the amendments made by this section. 

9 (2) ELEMENTS.—Each report submitted under 

10 paragraph (1) shall include the following for the fiscal 

11 year covered by the report: 

12 (A) A description of each natural disaster 

13 for which assistance was provided or action was 

14 taken as described in paragraph (1). 

15 (B) The number of cases or individuals, as 

16 the case may be, in which or to whom the Sec17 retary provided assistance or took action as de18 scribed in paragraph (1). 

19 (C) For each such case or individual, a de20 scription of the type or amount of assistance or 

21 action taken, as the case may be. 

22 (g) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by this 

23 section shall take effect on the date that is one year after 

24 the date of the enactment of this Act. 
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1 SEC. 702. EXTENSION OF CERTAIN EXPIRING PROVISIONS 

2 OF LAW. 

3 (a) POOL OF MORTGAGE LOANS.—Section 3720(h)(2) 

4 is amended by striking ‘‘December 31, 2011’’ and inserting 

5 ‘‘December 31, 2016’’. 

6 (b) LOAN FEES.—Section 3729(b)(2) is amended— 

7 (1) in subparagraph (A)— 

8 (A) in clause (iii), by striking ‘‘October 1, 

9 2016’’ and inserting ‘‘October 1, 2017’’; and 

10 (B) in clause (iv), by striking ‘‘October 1, 

11 2016’’ and inserting ‘‘October 1, 2017’’; 

12 (2) in subparagraph (B)— 

13 (A) in clause (i), by striking ‘‘October 1, 

14 2016’’ and inserting ‘‘October 1, 2017’’; and 

15 (B) in clause (ii), by striking ‘‘October 1, 

16 2016’’ and inserting ‘‘October 1, 2017’’; 

17 (3) in subparagraph (C)— 

18 (A) in clause (i), by striking ‘‘October 1, 

19 2016’’ and inserting ‘‘October 1, 2017’’; and 

20 (B) in clause (ii), by striking ‘‘October 1, 

21 2016’’ and inserting ‘‘October 1, 2017’’; and 

22 (4) in subparagraph (D)— 

23 (A) in clause (i), by striking ‘‘October 1, 

24 2016’’ and inserting ‘‘October 1, 2017’’; and 

25 (B) in clause (ii), by striking ‘‘October 1, 

26 2016’’ and inserting ‘‘October 1, 2017’’. 
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1 (c) TEMPORARY ADJUSTMENT OF MAXIMUM HOME

2 LOAN GUARANTY AMOUNT.—Section 501 of the Veterans’ 

3 Benefits Improvement Act of 2008 (Public Law 110–389; 

4 122 Stat. 4175; 38 U.S.C. 3703 note) is amended by strik5 ing ‘‘December 31, 2011’’ and inserting ‘‘December 31, 

6 2014’’. 

7 SEC. 703. REQUIREMENT FOR PLAN FOR REGULAR ASSESS8 MENT OF EMPLOYEES OF VETERANS BENE9 FITS ADMINISTRATION WHO HANDLE PROC10 ESSING OF CLAIMS FOR COMPENSATION AND 

11 PENSION. 

12 Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment 

13 of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall submit 

14 to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and 

15 the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Rep16 resentatives a plan that describes how the Secretary will— 

17 (1) regularly assess the skills and competencies of 

18 appropriate employees and managers of the Veterans 

19 Benefits Administration who are responsible for proc20 essing claims for compensation and pension benefits 

21 administered by the Secretary; 

22 (2) provide training to those employees whose 

23 skills and competencies are assessed as unsatisfactory 

24 by the regular assessment described in paragraph (1), 
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1 to remediate deficiencies in such skills and com2 petencies; 

3 (3) reassess the skills and competencies of em4 ployees who receive training as described in para5 graph (2); and 

6 (4) take appropriate personnel action if, fol7 lowing training and reassessment as described in 

8 paragraphs (2) and (3), respectively, skills and com9 petencies remain unsatisfactory. 

10 SEC. 704. MODIFICATION OF PROVISION RELATING TO RE11 IMBURSEMENT RATE FOR AMBULANCE SERV12 ICES. 

13 Section 111(b)(3)(C) is amended by striking ‘‘under 

14 subparagraph (B)’’ and inserting ‘‘to or from a Department 

15 facility’’. 

16 SEC. 705. CHANGE IN COLLECTION AND VERIFICATION OF 

17 VETERAN INCOME. 

18 Section 1722(f)(1) is amended by striking ‘‘the pre19 vious year’’ and inserting ‘‘the most recent year for which 

20 information is available’’. 
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1 SEC. 706. DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS ENFORCE2 MENT PENALTIES FOR MISREPRESENTATION 

3 OF A BUSINESS CONCERN AS A SMALL BUSI4 NESS CONCERN OWNED AND CONTROLLED 

5 BY VETERANS OR AS A SMALL BUSINESS CON6 CERN OWNED AND CONTROLLED BY SERVICE7 DISABLED VETERANS. 

8 Subsection (g) of section 8127 is amended— 

9 (1) by striking ‘‘Any business’’ and inserting 

10 ‘‘(1) Any business’’; 

11 (2) in paragraph (1), as so designated— 

12 (A) by inserting ‘‘willfully and inten13 tionally’’ before ‘‘misrepresented’’; and 

14 (B) by striking ‘‘a reasonable period of 

15 time, as determined by the Secretary’’ and in16 serting ‘‘a period of not less than five years’’; 

17 and 

18 (3) by adding at the end the following new para19 graphs: 

20 ‘‘(2) In the case of a debarment under paragraph (1), 

21 the Secretary shall commence debarment action against the 

22 business concern by not later than 30 days after deter23 mining that the concern willfully and intentionally mis24 represented the status of the concern as described in para25 graph (1) and shall complete debarment actions against 
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1 such concern by not later than 90 days after such deter2 mination. 

3 ‘‘(3) The debarment of a business concern under para4 graph (1) includes the debarment of all principals in the 

5 business concern for a period of not less than five years.’’. 

6 SEC. 707. QUARTERLY REPORTS TO CONGRESS ON CON7 FERENCES SPONSORED BY THE DEPART8 MENT. 

9 (a) IN GENERAL.—Subchapter I of chapter 5 is 

10 amended by adding at the end the following new section: 

11 ‘‘§ 517. Quarterly reports to Congress on conferences 

12 sponsored by the Department 

13 ‘‘(a) QUARTERLY REPORTS REQUIRED.—Not later 

14 than 30 days after the end of each fiscal quarter, the Sec15 retary shall submit to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 

16 of the Senate and the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of 

17 the House of Representatives a report on covered con18 ferences. 

19 ‘‘(b) MATTERS INCLUDED.—Each report under sub20 section (a) shall include the following: 

21 ‘‘(1) An accounting of the final costs to the De22 partment of each covered conference occurring during 

23 the fiscal quarter preceding the date on which the re24 port is submitted, including the costs related to— 

25 ‘‘(A) transportation and parking; 
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1 ‘‘(B) per diem payments; 

2 ‘‘(C) lodging; 

3 ‘‘(D) rental of halls, auditoriums, or other 

4 spaces; 

5 ‘‘(E) rental of equipment; 

6 ‘‘(F) refreshments; 

7 ‘‘(G) entertainment; 

8 ‘‘(H) contractors; and 

9 ‘‘(I) brochures or other printed media. 

10 ‘‘(2) The total estimated costs to the Department 

11 for covered conferences occurring during the fiscal 

12 quarter in which the report is submitted. 

13 ‘‘(c) COVERED CONFERENCE DEFINED.—In this sec14 tion, the term ‘covered conference’ means a conference, meet15 ing, or other similar forum that is sponsored or co-spon16 sored by the Department and is— 

17 ‘‘(1) attended by 50 or more individuals, includ18 ing one or more employees of the Department; or 

19 ‘‘(2) estimated to cost the Department at least 

20 $20,000.’’. 

21 (b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections at 

22 the beginning of such chapter is amended by adding after 

23 the item relating to section 516 the following: 

‘‘517. Quarterly reports to Congress on conferences sponsored by the Department.’’. 

24 (c) EFFECTIVE DATE.—Section 517 of title 38, United 

25 States Code, as added by subsection (a), shall take effect 
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1 on October 1, 2012, and shall apply with respect to the first 

2 quarter of fiscal year 2013 and each quarter thereafter. 

3 SEC. 708. PUBLICATION OF DATA ON EMPLOYMENT OF CER4 TAIN VETERANS BY FEDERAL CONTRACTORS. 

5 Section 4212(d) is amended by adding at the end the 

6 following new paragraph: 

7 ‘‘(3) The Secretary of Labor shall establish and main8 tain an Internet website on which the Secretary of Labor 

9 shall publicly disclose the information reported to the Sec10 retary of Labor by contractors under paragraph (1).’’. 

11 SEC. 709. VETSTAR AWARD PROGRAM. 

12 (a) IN GENERAL.—Section 532 is amended— 

13 (1) by striking ‘‘The Secretary may’’ and insert14 ing ‘‘ (a) ADVERTISING IN NATIONAL MEDIA.—The 

15 Secretary may’’; and 

16 (2) by adding at the end the following new sub17 section: 

18 ‘‘(b) VETSTAR AWARD PROGRAM.—(1) The Secretary 

19 shall establish an award program, to be known as the 

20 ‘VetStar Award Program’, to recognize annually businesses 

21 for their contributions to veterans’ employment. 

22 ‘‘(2) The Secretary shall establish a process for the ad23 ministration of the award program, including criteria 

24 for— 
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1 ‘‘(A) categories and sectors of businesses eligible 

2 for recognition each year; and 

3 ‘‘(B) objective measures to be used in selecting 

4 businesses to receive the award.’’. 

5 (b) CLERICAL AMENDMENTS.— 

6 (1) SECTION HEADING.—The heading of such sec7 tion is amended by adding at the end the following: 

8 ‘‘; VetStar Award Program’’. 

9 (2) TABLE OF SECTIONS.—The table of sections 

10 at the beginning of chapter 5 is amended by striking 

11 the item relating to section 532 and inserting the fol12 lowing new item: 

‘‘532. Authority to advertise in national media; VetStar Award Program.’’. 

13 SEC. 710. EXTENDED PERIOD OF PROTECTIONS FOR MEM14 BERS OF UNIFORMED SERVICES RELATING 

15 TO MORTGAGES, MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE, 

16 AND EVICTION. 

17 (a) STAY OF PROCEEDINGS AND PERIOD OF ADJUST18 MENT OF OBLIGATIONS RELATING TO REAL OR PERSONAL

19 PROPERTY.—Section 303(b) of the Servicemembers Civil 

20 Relief Act (50 U.S.C. App. 533(b)) is amended by striking 

21 ‘‘within 9 months’’ and inserting ‘‘within one year’’. 

22 (b) PERIOD OF RELIEF FROM SALE, FORECLOSURE, 

23 OR SEIZURE.—Section 303(c) of such Act (50 U.S.C. App. 

24 533(c)) is amended by striking ‘‘within 9 months’’ and in25 serting ‘‘within one year’’. 
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1 (c) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by sub2 sections (a) and (b) shall take effect on the date that is 180 

3 days after the date of the enactment of this Act. 

4 (d) EXTENSION OF SUNSET.— 

5 (1) IN GENERAL.—The amendments made by 

6 subsections (a) and (b) shall expire on December 31, 

7 2014. 

8 (2) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—Subsection (c) 

9 of section 2203 of the Housing and Economic Recov10 ery Act of 2008 (Public Law 110–289; 50 U.S.C. 

11 App. 533 note) is amended to read as follows: 

12 ‘‘(c) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by 

13 subsection (a) shall take effect on the date of the enactment 

14 of this Act.’’. 

15 (3) REVIVAL.—Effective January 1, 2015, the 

16 provisions of subsections (b) and (c) of section 303 of 

17 the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (50 U.S.C. App. 

18 533), as in effect on July 29, 2008, are hereby re19 vived. 

20 (e) REPORT.— 

21 (1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 540 days after 

22 the date of the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller 

23 General of the United States shall submit to Congress 

24 a report on the protections provided under section 303 

25 of such Act (50 U.S.C. App 533) during the five-year 
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1 period ending on the date of the enactment of this 

2 Act. 

3 (2) ELEMENTS.—The report required by para4 graph (1) shall include, for the period described in 

5 such paragraph, the following: 

6 (A) An assessment of the effects of such sec7 tion on the long-term financial well-being of 

8 servicemembers and their families. 

9 (B) The number of servicemembers who 

10 faced foreclosure during a 90-day period, 270- 

11 day period, or 365-day period beginning on the 

12 date on which the servicemembers completed a 

13 period of military service. 

14 (C) The number of servicemembers who ap15 plied for a stay or adjustment under subsection 

16 (b) of such section. 

17 (D) A description and assessment of the ef18 fect of applying for a stay or adjustment under 

19 such subsection on the financial well-being of the 

20 servicemembers who applied for such a stay or 

21 adjustment. 

22 (E) An assessment of the Secretary of De23 fense’s partnerships with public and private sec24 tor entities and recommendations on how the 

25 Secretary should modify such partnerships to 
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1 improve financial education and counseling for 

2 servicemembers in order to assist them in achiev3 ing long-term financial stability. 

4 (3) PERIOD OF MILITARY SERVICE AND SERVICE5 MEMBER DEFINED.—In this subsection, the terms ‘‘pe6 riod of military service’’ and ‘‘servicemember’’ have 

7 the meanings given such terms in section 101 of such 

8 Act (50 U.S.C. App. 511). 

Amend the title so as to read: ‘‘An Act A bill to 

amend title 38, United States Code, to furnish hospital 

care and medical services to veterans who were stationed 

at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, while the water was 

contaminated at Camp Lejeune, to improve the provision 

of housing assistance to veterans and their families, and 

for other purposes.’’. 

Attest: 

Secretary. 

112TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H.R. 1627 

AMENDMENTS